A Lot Of PokeBalls
by Trooper028
Summary: A collection of snippets, shorts, ideas, and other odds and ends that might become full on stories later on if I have time.
1. A Lot of PokeBalls 1

Disclaimer: I no not own Pokémon.

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 **We Believes In You**

 **Ash the Parent**

 **Welcome to the Family**

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 **We Believes In You (anti-betrayal short)**

Summary: When Ash returns home from Kalos he receives the welcome home he'd really get.

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Delia was worried. When Ash had come home she knew something was wrong the moment she looked at her baby's face. There was this tiredness in his eyes that hadn't been there before. When she asked what was wrong he had avoided the subject telling her he was just suffering jet lag and wanted to get to bed, however the look Pikachu shot her told her otherwise. So she went to the computer and checked out the news on-line. When she read there had been a terrorist attack in Lumiose City by Team Flare her heart skip a beat and when she saw the grainy picture of who was unmistakably her son being held capture atop the city's central tower her heart froze. Someone had hurt her _baby._ Continuing to read the mama ursaring part of her mind couldn't help but observe that if Lysandre hadn't died by pissed off legendary he would of answered to _her_ and unlike Zygarde she was a _Mother._ She knew how to use knives.

She knew what she had to do now. Her boy could be stubborn he wouldn't talk about things that were bothering him because he wouldn't want to worry her. So she was going to need to make some phone calls and hoped Mimey was up for a few long distant teleports.

XXX

Delia wasn't the only one to notice something was up. When Ash had arrived at Oak's ranch to visit them all his Pokémon quickly caught on that something was up. They could smell the distress that was coming from Ash.

Muk's and Bayleef's first action was to jump on him. Several others quickly joined in the dog pile giving their trainer hugs, nuzzles, and licks.

"What happen?" Bulbasaur asked Pikachu. The grass type had pulled Pikachu away from the group hug so the two could talk in private. Noctowl, Sceptile, and a few others were with them.

"It's a long story…" Pikachu said with a sigh before telling them. Word spread to the others over the course of the day while Ash spent time playing or training with them, but by the end all of Ash's pokemon wanted to punch something or to be precise someone. No one hurt their trainer and got away with it! This "Lysandre" was lucky he died by legendary.

They would have torn him a part and burned the remains till nothing remained.

"Ah Ash is that you my boy? I thought I heard you're tauros stampeding closer to the lab then usual." Said Professor Oak approaching the group. Tracey was next to him.

"Hello Professor!" Ash said with a smile and standing up with Totodile in his arms.

"I saw your battle on TV. Making it to the finals you should be proud." Oak praised him.

"I still lost in the end." Ash pointed out. "I wonder if I'm really cut out to be a trainer. Maybe its time to throw in the towel."

You could hear the pin drop things were so quiet. Charizard looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"You're being to hard on yourself Ash. Most trainers don't even make it to the league." Oak said consolingly.

"Don't be like that Ash. It takes lots of trainers many years to become champions. Sometimes it just comes down to the luck of who you're facing and having the right pokémon on hand." Tracey said.

"Tracey is right. You made it to the finals, that's progress, next time you're sure to win." Oak told him.

"Yeah sure I will." Ash replied, but his tone indicated he didn't believe them.

Everyone exchanged worried looks.

XXX

Ash and Pikachu returned home just as the sun was setting on the horizon.

"Mom I'm back!" Ash called as he entered the house. Coming into the living room he stopped. Gathered there were Misty, Brock, Tracey, Gary, Professor Oak, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena. In front and center stood his Mother looking at with a smile. Before Ash could ask how they all were here. His Mother motioned for him to sit down.

"Ash we need to talk about what happen in Kalos." Delia said using her best "Don't argue with me young man" voice.

"Nothing happen. I lost another league and stopped another criminal group from destroying the world by legendary. Same old, same old." Ash told them, but complied to his Mother taking a seat.

"You can't give up your dream Ash." Brock said being the first to speak.

"It's not who you are." Misty said.

"You won the orange league." Tracey pointed out.

"And the battle frontier. You could become a frontier brain if you wanted too." Max added.

"You're better then you think you are." May said.

"You're an inspiration to us." Dawn said.

"You're not such a little kid you'd just quit and run home." Iris said.

"You just need to find the right recipe for success." Cilan said.

"You make it to the top ten on average in five out of six leagues. Not many can say that." Clemont said.

"You're too cool to be a quitter!" Bonnie said.

"You saved all of Kalos if not the world from Team Flare!" Serena said.

"You throwing in the towel would be a sign of the end times Ashy-boy." Gary said

"You're my baby boy and I will always love you." Delia finished.

Ash was stunned by all these words of admiration and praise he was receiving.

"It isn't just because I lost a league." Ash said quietly.

"I've been told how I should be lucky to even see one legendary pokémon, but I've seen them all and I'm just wondering: why me? Why do I keep getting dragged into these situations? Surely there are countless better people to save the world and stop bad guys from capturing and abusing them for whatever reason."

"Well-"

"We could have died, we nearly have died, I'm pretty sure I _did_ die a few times." Ash said starting to rant not caring anymore. "Why does this seem to happen to no one else but me? What makes me so special? I never asked to be this "Chosen One" or am I just a doom magnet?" Tears were starting to fall down his face. "I don't want any of you to die because of me!"

"Ash-"

"Just leave me alone!" Ash stood up and ran out the door before anyone could stop him. However Ash did not make it far because in front of the house were Bulbasaur, Charizard, Kingler, Muk, Tauros (all thirty of them), Snorlax, Bayleef, Quilava, Totodile, Noctowl, Donphan, Swellow, Sceptile, Corphish, Torkoal, Glalie, Staraptor, Torterra, Infernape, Buizel, Gliscor, Gible, Unfezant, Oshawott, Pignite, Scraggy, Palpitoad, Boldore, Krookodile, Talonflame, Hawlucha, and Noivern. Pikachu hopped out from behind Ash to stand in front of them and began to speak.

None of Ash's friends, Mother, or Oak who were gathered behind Ash knew exactly what the rodent was saying, but they understood the sentiment it was conveying it was one they all felt. Ash on the other knew exactly what Pikachu was saying.

No matter the dangers we will always follow you.

No matter the number of defeats we won't give up on you.

No matter what we will always believe in you.

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 **Ash the Parent**

Summary: Kanto Era: Ash channels his Mother and puts Charizard in his place.

Note: This idea spawned from the discussion of Ash getting Togepi or even Phanpy earlier and how the responsibility of being a parent would speed up his maturity.

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"Hi Ash nice of you to call how has your journey been?" Delia asked as she spoke over the phone to her son.

"Okay, though one of my pokémon is giving me trouble and I'm stumped how to get him to listen to me again. Misty and Brock have been no help either." Ash replied over the phone from inside the pokémon center. Not that he held it against them fire types weren't exactly their specialty.

"Well anything I can do to help? I was a trainer once upon a time." Delia reminded her son.

"Well to be honest Charizard kind of reminds me of well _me_ when I was younger and roughhoused a lot with Gary and the other kids. I was a real brat back then." If Misty were here she would say he was still bit of brat.

"Well Ash do you remember how I handled you when you threw temper tantrums back then?" Delia asks her son. Ash's eyes widened and a plan began to form in his mind.

XXX

It was another round of 'tame the dragon' Squirtle and Misty's water types were on stand by to put out any fires and Brock had the first aid kit at the ready. Ash let Charizard out and stepped back as fire shot past his head. For a brief moment he was having second thoughts, but remembering his mother's advice he pushed forward.

"That is quite ENOUGH of the attitude mister!" Ash scolds Charizard who responds with another flamethrower that Ash easily sidesteps. "Are you done?" He asks giving the dragon a look, but not just any look. The LOOK™ that parents give their children when they're 'so disappointed in you' and make you want to just sink into the ground and disappear forever. It cut off Charizard's second flamethrower and the dragon started to feel nervous and found that his feet were very interesting to examine all of the sudden.

"Look at you!" Ash says exasperatedly throwing up his hands for good measure. "Acting like you're the world's toughest Charizard, but what do you call that?" He pokes Charizard's side. "That's fat! Not muscle! Do you think you'll be able to become a champion like that?" Charizard mumbles something under his breath. "What was that?"

"Char." Which Ash took to mean 'No'.

"Good. Now you seen that mountain top over there?" Ash points to a mountain that was about a mile away from them. "I want you to fly there and be back in five minutes. Can you do that?"

Charizard looks from the mountaintop to Ash before nodding. "Alright then, we'll have something for you to eat when you get back." Ash told him and Charizard took that as his cue to leave. Watching the Fire Type take off for the mountain Misty and Brock came up to Ash wide-eyed and slack jawed.

"Ash that was..." Misty was a loss for words. She was honestly impressed. Not that she'd admit it.

"You were acting like a real parent there Ash. I'm so proud of you!" Brock told him with manly tears rolling down his face.

"Where did you get the idea for that?" Misty asked.

Ash gave them a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head before revealing his secret.

"How do you think my Mom got me to clean my room?"

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 **Welcome to the Family**

Summary: SM-era. During the Kanto two-partner Ash's Pokémon chat with the new arrivals.

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With the humans going off to do human things that left Pikachu and the Alola pokémon to mingle with the pokémon of Oak's lab. While Vulpix, Marowak, Popplio and the rest went off on their own Rowlet, Lycanroc, and Litten were introduced by Pikachu to a large group of pokémon who all belong to Ash.

Rowlet had taken to perching on Torterra's back using the tree as a roost. He was soon snoozing without a care in the world. Litten and Lycanroc shared a look. Lycanroc then went over and let loose a point blank howl to wake the birdbrain up.

"Thank you." Bulbasaur said. Next to him Squirtle snickered.

"First off are any of you your region's 'starter' pokémon?"

"I'm the fire starter and Rowlet is the grass starter." Litten replied, "Popplio is the water starter but she belongs to Lana."

"Why does them being starters matter?" Lycanroc asked.

"Ash catches anywhere between one to all three starters in every region he visits and there tend to be _trends_ with them." Bulbasaur explained.

"Trends?" Litten questions.

"Except for Quilava all of us fire starters were owned by trainers who were not exactly the nicest of people. Mine left me for dead." Charizard explained.

"Mine tossed me out when I didn't live up to his standards." Infernape offered.

"Mine tied me up and left me." Pignite finished.

"I dodged a bullet. I was _almost_ caught by a jerk, but Ash got to me first." Quilava said.

"…I was never owned by a human before Ash I was a stray who lived with Stoutland. Then he passed away after which Ash took me in." Litten told them. His voice cracking slightly as he talked about his dead surrogate father. The hearts of Ash's other pokémon went out to the fire cat with Infernape putting a consoling hand on him.

Well, most of them anyways….

"…Why do the fire types always have sob stories?" Oshawott whispered to Scraggy who responded with a 'dude, not funny' glare silencing any further comments from the otter.

"And this is why we have a support group for pokémon who had hard upbringings or just bad experiences in general." Bulbasaur said with a sigh.

"Now this is the first time Ash has returned home mid-journey which gives us the chance to prepare you for some things that come with being one of Ash's Pokémon."

"Such as?"

"You will likely meet every legendary your region has at one point. You will either save them from an idiot with too much time on his hand or an evil team bent on reshaping the world into their image or just resolve a problem they're having." Bulbasaur listed off.

"We'll we've already met Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele." Litten mused.

"Maybe this is why Tapu Koko is interested in Ash?" Lycanroc suggested.

"Could be. Wait, why didn't Pikachu tell us about any of this?"

Everyone turned to Pikachu.

"I didn't want to alarm any of you." Pikachu answered. "Also, I really want these encounters to **stop** given how many times we've nearly died."

There was a murmur of agreement from Ash's pokémon.

"Which brings me to the second thing: Ash will die and come back to life at least once." Bulbasaur told them.

"How many times has he died now?" Corphish asked.

"I've lost count." Pikachu said bowing his head and sighing with a pained expression.

"How?" Litten asks.

"We blame Ho-Oh and phoenix resurrecting powers." Squirtle said.

"Shouldn't that be 'thank'?" Kingler asks.

"Given the number of heart attacks I've had? No." Pikachu said. "Sometimes it feels like the universe is out to get us but brings us back because we're too entertaining to let die."

"Well that explains the time Ash turned into ash for a bit." Rowlet said recalling that time Ash and Lana had that discussion which led to Ash becoming ashes out of shock.

"Getting eaten by a tree has to be his weirdest death." Sceptile commented.

"That time a chandelier fell on us had to be the funniest though looking back. I died that time too." Pikachu said

"Wait didn't Haunter just pull you out of your bodies? And you re-entered them later with no problem? Were you really dead if that's the case?" Bulbasaur asked.

"Eh, semantics." Pikachu shrugged.

"Remember that time we nearly froze to death in that cave?" Squirtle asked.

"I guess that means I nearly died three times." Charizard mused aloud. By this point the group started going over all the times Ash died or nearly died and which actually 'counted'.

"Do we count the times he fell from a great height like that time he jumped off Lumiose Tower?"

"I'd give that half a point since he didn't hit the ground."

"Oh! What about all those times he took an attack for us?"

"Doesn't count if he just brushed it off afterwards."

"I was also killed by Yveltal." Pikachu recalls.

Rowlet turned to Litten and Lycanroc and asked, "Hey, since I become a ghost-type when I evolve doesn't that mean _I_ die?" Neither the wolf nor the cat had anything to say to that.

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	2. Ash in Remnant

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon

 **Ash in Remnant**

Summary: First attempt at a Pokémon/RWBY crossover. The plot eventually got away from me and I hit a wall. I also didn't like the idea of Ash getting a weapon since I felt that defeated the point of a **Pokémon** Crossover if Ash started fighting himself-he's a supporting leader its his Pokémons' job to fight for him. There are however ideas here I'd like to use in the future.

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Qrow had seen a lot during his time as a hunter, a little farming town outside the protective walls of the kingdoms being overrun by Grimm was nothing new. That didn't mean he would just stand aside and let people die if he could do something about it. Unfortunately, the creatures of Grimm were living up to their 'kill all humans' mindset today and for every Grimm he cut down two more would take their place. The Grimm might as well be infinite; the same could not be said for the farming community. They'd succumb to exhaustion defending their homes eventually even with him there. By all accounts the Grimm never tired. To put it bluntly: they needed help.

What came next was something he would honestly say he had never seen before. It began with a slight tremor in the ground that quickly grew in intensity, he heard it then-the pounding of dozens of hooves hitting the ground and… mooing?

Down the street a heard of brown bulls came around the corner tails lashing and noses snorting as they gallop down the road ramming into any Grimm in their path. Qrow made a move to jump out of the way only for the bulls to part around him ignoring him entirely. In fact they avoided every human on the street only attacking the Grimm.

As he would say when he would retell the story later it was at this point that things got weird. Thunder cracked the sky and a Griffin crashed to the ground outside of the village. Then from above a mighty roar caught his ears and looking up he saw an orange dragon fly overhead roasting any Nevermore stupid enough to get within distance. It was followed by a handful of different colored birds and a pair of bats. They were too high for him to be sure, but he swore someone was riding the dragon.

Then a creature that he would described as being a cross between a teddy bear and a bean bag that had eaten way too many donuts engaged a group of Grimm slamming its body into several knocking them down, it froze another with a punch, followed up with a head butt which shattered it to pieces. When one Grimm-a Death Stalker-tried to strike it in the stomach with its stinger it simply bounced off. The bear then open its mouth and released a massive energy beam that not only blew the scorpion to pieces, but also went on to take out several more Grimm behind it. The creature then turned to the mother and child the Grimm had been targeting and gently patted both on the head before moving on to find more Grimm to fight.

That settled it for Qrow. All that mattered right now was these creatures were fighting the Grimm and that made them allies as far as he was concerned. What they were and where did they come from could all be answered after they dealt with the Grimm. With scythe in hand he charged back into battle swiftly slaying any Grimm in his way.

It was just after he had jumped up onto a roof to deal with some pesky beowulves that had climb up there and try to break into a house that he heard a yell from above, followed by a thump, and lastly a quiet 'ow…' Turning around he saw a young man lying on the roof. Above he heard an enraged roar mixed with the crackling of fire and the dying caws of a Nevermore.

"So there _was_ someone riding the dragon," Qrow crouched down next to the dazed boy, "you okay kid?" The boy sat up seemingly no worse for the wear.

"Yeah I'm okay mister I've had worse." He rubbed his head. "Do you know what those things are? Ever since we got here we keep running into them and they keep attacking us."

For a moment Qrow's mind nearly shut down. This kid didn't know what Grimm were? How was that even possible? Granted if this kid wasn't from Remnant it would explain where the orange dragon, the beanbag bear, and all the other colorful monsters he'd seen so far had come from. The sounds of fighting reminded him he had more pressing issues to deal with then playing '20 questions' with some kid.

"I'll answer yours, if you answer mine, but first we need to take out the trash." He helped the kid to his feet.

"I'd say its mostly thrown out by now." The boy pointed and Qrow looked to see that indeed most of the Grimm had been routed from the town with the last few stragglers being chased out by the dragon and some of the other creatures. Seeing the danger had past he sheathed his weapon turned to the boy and introduced himself, hand held out for a shake.

"Well kid my name's Qrow and we call those things the 'Creatures of Grimm'. What's yours?"

"My name's Ash and mine are called Pokemon!" Ash told him smiling as he took Qrow's hand with his own. "There a lot nicer." He adds.

Before Qrow could reply a cry of "Pikapi!" cut him off and a small yellow pointy-eared rodent clambered onto the roof and up Ash's leg till he was resting on his shoulder. "Oh and this is my buddy Piakchu!" The boy introduced.

"Pikachu!" Greeted the rodent holding out a small paw to Qrow waving hello. Qrow stared at 'Pikachu' for a moment before finally saying, "If my nieces were here… they'd hug this little guy and never let him go." He couldn't explain how but Qrow just knew this Pikachu could take over the world through his cuteness alone.

XXX

Qrow was not panicking; he was a veteran huntsman he did not panic. However, maybe deep down he would admit he was panicking just a little. Why you may ask?

He had lost Ash.

They had stopped at a coffee shop to get a bite and so Qrow could go to the bathroom. He told the kid to wait outside for him and when he came back the kid was gone! What part of 'stay there' did kids these days just not get? He was going to really need a drink before the day was through.

XXX

In Ash's defense he had been waiting outside like he was told then a huge crowd of people came around the corner and he wound up being carried along. When he finally managed to get free he had zero clue where he was. Slipping into an alley he zipped open his jacket allowing Pikachu to pop his head out and get some much needed air.

"Well buddy any idea what we should do now?" He asked as Pikachu jumped to the ground and stretched out a bit. "Pikachu." Shrugs the rodent. "I guess all we can do is try and find our way back to the coffee shop and hope Qrow has a really long potty break."

Pikachu nods and jumps back into Ash's jacket and the two start walking down the street trying to find their way.

XXX

They didn't find their way back. In fact they were even more lost now finding themselves somewhere in the port. They also had another problem: They were hungry. "This just hasn't been a good day has it buddy?" Ash asked leaning against a crate.

"Chu."

"I just wish we could have some sort of sign about what to do next!" Ash shouted upwards.

Then an explosion followed by a large dust cloud rose over a nearby building not far from their position.

"That'll work."

Neither he nor Pikachu commented when his backpack shook with what appeared to be laughter.

XXX

Roman laughed evilly after shooting 'Red' backwards. That'll teach that stupid brat!

"Pikachu!"

He looks down to see a yellow pointy-eared mammal glaring up at him.

"What are you supposed to be: a mutant rat?"

Judging from the rat's face it didn't like the comparison. Its cheeks began to spark and before Roman could react he found out what it was like to be lit up like a Neon sign. When Pikachu canceled his attack Roman fell over in a twitching heap.

"Show of hands who enjoyed watching that?" Blake asked. She, Sun, and the gathered Fang all raised their hands.

"I think I even saw his skeleton there for a bit." Sun commented getting to his feet.

"You have no idea how cathartic that was." Said one fang while several more nodded in agreement. For a brief moment they all smiled at each other before remembering they were sort of supposed to be fighting. The added arrival of Penny with multiple swords spinning around her only hit that point home further.

"Memo to self: Do not taunt strangely colored animals unless I'm at a reasonable distance." Roman thought as he tried to move but found himself paralyzed save for the occasional twitch of the random limb. This wasn't good. He was going to get caught and that meant Neo was going to have to break him out and she would never let him hear the end of it.

He felt a weight on his chest and something purple appeared above him, but he couldn't quite get a good look at it. He saw a slimy hand reach over and pick up… his hat? 'Oh hell no!' He tried to say, but found his mouth could barely move beyond a twitch at the moment.

"Muk!" The thing proclaimed cheerfully before putting it on and disappearing from his vision. "Talk about kicking a guy when he's down…" Roman sighed resigned. This was not going to be a good week was it?

The sound of an ear-piercing screech followed by the cries of his men told him that no, it was not going to be a good week.

XXX

With Roman and the White Fang defeated and the police on their way Ruby and the others watched as a young man ran over to congratulate the rat, blob monster, and giant bat that had aided them.

"Great job guys. You all did very well." The boy told them. Ruby, seeing no one else was stepping forward silently elected herself to make first contact.

"Um, excuse me who are you and what are they?" Ruby asks.

"I'm Ash Ketchum and these are my Pokemon Pikachu, Muk, and Noivern!" The creatures-Pokemon-all waved hello at them. Whatever was going to be said next was cut off by a shout.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Qrow comes up to them looking tired and just a bit sloshed. Ash's Pokemon (save for Muk-he could smell worse) cringed at the smell.

"Uncle Qrow?" Ruby said catching his attention.

"Ruby?" Qrow said surprised to see her. Wasn't it past her bedtime?

"Oh is this your niece you told me about? Wow, small world isn't?" Ash commented cheerfully.

XXX

Ozpin sat in his office sipping a cup of coffee. He had heard Qrow's report, he had seen the pictures, but none of that really prepares you for when you meet in person.

His office at the top of Beacon was quite large and spacious, but now it was quite cramped with the menagerie of creatures-Pokemon-filling it. That was quite the load of bull he was seeing.

"Clearly you're not from around here." He remarked dryly.

"Understatement." Qrow muttered to Glynda who nodded in agreement.

"I suppose my first question is 'where are you from?" Ozpin asks. Even though the answer was already clearly 'not from Remnant'.

"From another world-it's a long story." Ash said. "I-we are not really sure what happen ourselves we were fighting Team Rocket-they're a bunch of thieves-who were trying to steal my Pokemon."

"I see." Ozpin nodded.

"Well again I'm not sure what really happen just that a rift open in the space we were fighting and we all got sucked in." Ash shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry if that's not much."

"No it's alright. Is it possible these thieves came over with you?"

"Probably it wouldn't surprise me if they did." Ash muttered that last bit mostly to himself while Pikachu just nodded in agreement. Several of his other Pokemon had resigned looks on their faces at the mention of that particular trio.

"I suppose we'll just have to keep an eye out then." Ozpin concluded that line of inquiry. "Now I suppose my next question is what are Pokemon exactly?"

"Well they're my friends! I'm a Pokemon Trainer it's my job to train them and help them become stronger." Ash told him. This statement was followed by several affirmative growls, grunts, and chirps from the assorted Pokemon behind him.

"How long have you been doing this?" Ozpin asked.

"Since I was ten-years-old."

Ozpin's composed face fell slightly as did Glynda's. What sort of society sends ten-year-olds out into the world with from they could see nearly any kind of monster imaginable? Either the humans of this boy's world were either insane or just that bad ass. Possibly both.

"Since you were ten?" Ozpin asks slowly just to be sure.

"Yes… is something wrong with that?" Ash looked confused.

"No, well that just sounds awfully dangerous for children to be doing."

"It can be at times, but I have my Pokemon with me, we watch out for each other." That statement was accompanied by enthusiastic smiles, cheers, thumbs up, and 'here, here' gestures by the hoard.

"Well then I suppose for now the last question is where do we go from here? You'll need a place to stay and there will be a matter of food to feed all your friends."

"Actually that last one won't be an issue they can just stay in their Pokeballs. Though it'd be good if they ate after training or battle." Ash informed him. "Only Pikachu doesn't go into his Pokeball he's… claustrophobic to put it mildly." Behind him several of the hoard muttered something that Ozpin suspected if translated would probably be 'understatement'. Pikachu just folded his arms and huffed.

"Well we can easily make due in that case. That just leaves where you'll be rooming and who'll show you around Beacon." Ozpin turned his gaze to the five students who has so far remained silent during the conversation. "Team RWBY?"

"Yes Headmaster Ozpin?" Ruby said stepping forward. Behind her stood her team and Sun.

"Please escort Mr. Ketchum here to the dorms. I believe you will find a spare room he can lodge in. Starting tomorrow however I'd like it if you'd show him around Beacon. Make him feel welcome."

"You can count on us sir!" Ruby saluted. Behind her Weiss gave a dignified nod while trying to resist cooing over how cute Pikachu was, Yang gave a friendly thumb up, and Blake gave a light nod while maintaining a guarded expressed.

"However for the time being I would like it if we kept your Pokemon's existence under wraps. Do not tell anyone about them for now." Ozpin requests. Ash and the hunters-in-training all nod in agreement to this and after Ash took several minutes recalling everyone and a quick exchange of parting words they disappear down the elevator.

"What is your opinion about this Qrow?" Ozpin asked after taking a sip of his coffee.

"These Pokemon things? They aren't just animals. I traveled with this for several days before we reached Vale. They're intelligent-well most of them-that land shark doesn't seem to be all there."

"And the boy?"

"First, total hero complex. He's a real adventuring hero type. Port will love him." Qrow chuckles before taking a drink from his flask.

"His aura is impressive." Glynda noted.

"Yeah he's got a lot all right, but the kid's never been trained before. I unlocked it as we came to Vale figured I'd give the kid some basics to help him survive here." He gave them a look. "It was like staring into a well. I couldn't tell how deep it went."

"How did he handle your 'basics'?" Glynda asked curious.

"Kid's a natural especially when you get him going or someone's in danger. It's like a switch turns on and I saw him lift a well over thousand pound tree trunk and toss it like it was nothing."

"Are you sure he's never been trained before?"

"We can discuss that later. So he's not a danger to the kingdom then?" Ozpin interrupted them.

"Nope. Like I said total hero complex."

"Alright, well then I believe its time we all turn in for the night and see what the morning brings us."

XXX

In another part of Vale three figures walked down a deserted street bemoaning their current fortunes.

"We have no money." James said holding their wallet upside down.

"No food." Jessie continued her stomach growling.

"And no idea where we are." Meowth concluded looking at a map of Vale in his paws.

"I hate to say it my friends, but if our fortunes don't change soon…" The three sighed and looked skyward to the stars above and together said, "Is this Team Rocket's final blast off?"

XXX

"Hey Ash we're going to the cafeteria to get some breakfast you ready?" Yang's voice came through the door of the dorm room Ash and Pikachu were currently living in. Ash's head popped out of the bathroom toothbrush still in his mouth.

"I'm coming!" Ash replied quickly he was always ready for something to eat! From his perch on the bed Pikachu sighed his trainer could be such a Snorlax.

"Alright Pikachu remember to stay here and I'll be back later with some apples for you okay?" Ash told his friend.

"Pika Pikapi!" The rodent gives a small salute. Once his trainer was out of sight he turned to the backpack filled with his friends. Now who to let out and play a game of Go-Magikarp with till Ash got back?

XXX

Ash sat at a table with Team RWBY and another group of students they introduced to him as Team JNPR consisting of Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren.

"So you're the kid from another world huh?" Nora asked.

The rest of Team RWBY turned their heads to look at Ruby who shrank back into her hood at their stares. "It kind of slipped out…"

To this Yang chuckled, Blake sighed, and Weiss face palmed. "Remind me not to ask for your help if I'm ever planning a surprise party." The snow princess told her.

"Well?" Nora persisted, "and is it true you have a bunch of cool monsters as pets?"

"There not pets, they're my friends." Ash replied.

"We'll take that as a 'yes' to the first question." Ren remarked.

"Can we meet them? Do you have any with you?" Nora was bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Sorry I left them in my room." Ash told her apologetically. This girl was certainly enthusiastic wasn't she?

"So you said last night you've been traveling since you were ten?" Yang asked. "How many places in your world have you been to?"

"That's right and I've been to Kanto-that's my home region, the Orange Islands, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, the Decolore Islands, and Kalos."

"Sounds like you've been around." Pyrrha noted impressed.

"I have got to go to your world sometime." Yang declared.

"Well I ever find the portal back you can come with me if you like." Ash offered.

"I'll hold you to that." Yang told him.

"You don't seem all that worried about being in another dimension. Aren't you worried you might never be able to go home?" Weiss observed,

"Sure I am, but worrying won't help. Besides this isn't the first time I've been to another dimension. Not to mention all the times I've time traveled. This? This is just another Tuesday." He took a bite out of his waffles while the rest of the table stared at him.

"You've time traveled before?" Jaune asked flabbergasted. Not sure what shocked him more the time travel or Ash's nonchalant tone on the matter.

"Several times?" Blake added.

"Yep." Ash nodded and took out his PokeDex and showed them a small green creature with insect wings. "This is Celebi. It has the power to travel through time." He pressed a few more buttons and another creature a large blue and white sauropod, "and this is Dialga he is the Pokemon who controls time itself."

"I take it you've run into them a couple times?" Weiss asked.

"You could say that." Ash nodded deciding now was not the time to talk about the Iron Masked Marauder or Team Galactic.

There was a story there or two. They could all see it, but right now wasn't the time for that. It was almost time for class after all.

"So you said last night you were a Pokemon Trainer and that it is your job to train them?" Blake asks, "How does that work exactly?"

"Well it varies sometimes I find a Pokemon out in the wild and catch it after a battle. Other times I help them with a problem or save them and they join my team in gratitude."

"I see."

"Each of the regions I travel to has a league which you can enter after getting 8 badges from the gym leaders in different cities." Ash continued, "Only the best trainers can do it."

"How far have you've gotten in these leagues?" Pyrrha asked interested.

"Top 16 in Kanto, Top 8 in Johto, Top 8 in Hoenn, Top 4 in Sinnoh, Top 8 in Unova, and the runner up in Kalos." Ash listed off, "I won the Orange League and Battle Frontier, but those had different rules then the others."

"And this is out of how many participants?"

"A little over 200 at most, sometimes less. It depends on how many people enter." Ash shrugs.

"Sounds like you're a real contender." Nora said while Jaune whistled impressed.

"Even if you don't win making it to the top 10 in any tournament is something to be proud of." Pyrrha told him.

"I owe it to my Pokemon, I wouldn't have made it this far without them." Ash replied smiling. The bell for first period rang and Team RWBY, JNPR, and Ash hurriedly finish their breakfasts before heading off to class.

XXX

Walking out of Grimm Studies everyone stared at Ash in stunned horror.

"I cannot believe you actually liked Port's stories…" Yang looked at him shocked.

"You're not human or faunus. That is the only explanation." Blake said.

"I thought they were really good, they reminded me of the time I was starting out on my journey and me and Pikachu were on the run from an angry spearow flock." Ash told them.

"Sounds thrilling!" Port said popping up behind them. "Come by my office sometime and we can swap stories." He told Ash.

"Sure!" He smiled cheerfully while Team RWBY continued to gaze at him in horror.

XXX

"Ozpin told me your situation." Oobleck told Ash after his class ended and the students had filtered out. "Might I ask you a few questions about your world and the creatures inhabiting it?"

"I think my PokeDex would be better at that then I would." Ash holds it out letting Oobleck take it.

"Such a fascinating device." Oobleck remarked as he flipped though the PokeDex. "Truly a wealth of information to be gained here. May I borrow this for a bit? I'll make sure to get it back to you if not tonight by class tomorrow."

"No problem." Ash told him with a thumbs-up. All these teachers were really cool! Waiting for him at the door Team RWBY continued to stare at him in horror.

XXX

With classes over for the day RWBY, JNPR, and Ash had all reconvened in Ash's room. "He's so cute!" Weiss cooed over Pikachu who was happily munching on the apples Ash promised to get him.

"Pikachu here is my starter, he's been with me through my whole journey. Together we've seen a lot." Ash introduced.

"What other Pokemon do you have?" Nora asked.

"We saw them all in the headmaster's office last night. Most of them look like big colorful animals, though a few of them are pretty… unique." Blake told JNPR.

"To put in mildly." Yang added.

"He also has a load of bull." Ruby offered.

"Let's see who should I introduce first?" Ash thought aloud to himself as he rummaged through his backpack. What followed was a cycle of introductions of Team RWBY and JNPR meeting several of Ash's Pokemon.

"Oshawott!" The otter declared upon materializing and immediately started trying to get attention from his newfound audience only to get _too_ much when Nora picked him up and gave such vigorous hug that the Casanova wannabe was left dazed.

"Muk!" The purple sludge pile said before hugging Weiss much to her displeasure.

"I'm throwing these clothes into the incinerator." Weiss moaned after being untangled from the ooze.

"Fernape!" Infernape looked at the hunters with mild interest while they looked at him and wondered how the whole 'head on fire thing' worked. What did that do to his brain?

"This is Crescent Rose." Ruby held out her beloved scythe to show the small land shark Ash had introduced to them as Gible. "I made her my-*chomp*-self?" Ruby stares at the empty space Gible's bite had left in her weapon. She opens her mouth only for no sound to come out.

"I'm sorry about that I should of warned you that Gible tends to bite anything that gets close and that he eats metal." Ash apologized as he hastily recalled the dragon type.

"My precious." Ruby whispered stroking her weapon comfortingly. "Don't worry mommy will fix you." She runs out of the room.

"Don't worry about it, but you might want to keep Gible away and out of sight from Ruby for a few days." Yang told Ash. "Oh and never let that thing out near my bike." Her eyes briefly flashed red. "Got it?"

"No problem." Ash nodded hastily trying to ignore the chill that went down his spine, deciding to change the subject he asks, "So I was wondering if one of you could do something for me?"

"Sure what do you need?" Yang asked.

"We'll be happy to help!" Nora added still hugging Oshawott who wished he really hadn't come out of his ball now.

"Could you unlock my Pokemon's aura?"

"What?"

"Well my Pokemon have aura, Qrow even said so, but we never got around to unlocking theirs like he did mine. Qrow explained to me all about aura and semblances and I figure any edge they can get while we're in this world would be a good thing." Ash explained.

The group looked at one another. That sounded like a reasonable enough request to fulfill. "Whose aura would you like us to unlock first?" Pyrrha asked. As if the answer wasn't already obvious.

"Pikachu's of course!" Ash replied.

"I'll do it!" Weiss stepped up and placed her hand on Pikachu's head, "Don't worry this won't hurt at all." She assured him before reciting the same 'aura unlocking' speech Pyrrha gave Jaune.

When it was ad one a light glowed emitted around Pikachu before fading. Pikachu looked himself over before looking up at the humans.

"Was that it?" He asks them.

They all stared at him.

"He talks now." Jaune stated the obvious.

"Of course I can talk! I could always talk its not my fault you stupid… people… couldn't…" Pikachu trailed off realizing he wasn't speaking in 'Pikachu' anymore.

"I-I'm talking like Meowth!" He realized.

"Who's Meowth?" Blake asks.

"A Pokemon that learned to speak human." Ash explains before addressing Pikachu. "Well I guess this means I won't have to translate for you anymore buddy."

"Good," Pikachu smirks at him, "you were getting most of it wrong anyways."

Everyone shared a laugh at that.

"So who we are going to do next?" Yang asked after they all calmed down.

"How about Greninja?"

XXX

They went through several more of Ash's Pokemon before deciding to call it a night. By that point Ruby had recovered and returned to the room. As everyone was leaving Ruby stopped by the door. "Say Ash I can't help but notice you don't have a weapon to fight with." She noted.

"Does he even need one? He has an army on hand." Yang pointed out.

"Yeah, but he's not supposed to be showing them off." Weiss reminded.

"It would help him to blend in better." Blake threw in her two cents.

"Alright then starting tomorrow we'll be making you a weapon!" Ruby declared.

"Do I get a say in this?" Ash asked.

"Nope." Ruby and Yang told him sharing matching grins.

"Best to go along with it." Weiss advised.

"Once they've made up their minds, there is no stopping them." Blake informed him.

"I guessed as much. See you all tomorrow." Ash said and closed the door. He let out a long sigh he hadn't realized he been holding. He went over to bed and flopped down next to Pikachu who was already curled up asleep for the night, Ash closes his eyes and dreamed of his mother's cooking.

XXX

Later that night in a warehouse on the other side of the kingdom the resident villain team were meeting up after last weekend's debacle. "I cannot believe you got captured. I'm disappointed in you Roman. Couldn't you handle a couple hunters-in-training?" Cinder told him as he walked into the warehouse Neo trailing behind him with a slight smirk on her face.

"Those kids I could handle just fine. It was that energizer rodent that caught me off guard." Roman rebuffed still sore about having his hat stolen. Not to mention still feeling stiff and jerky.

"Excuse me?" Cinder asked.

Roman quickly went over the weird creatures that he had encountered at the docks that night granted he only saw the rat and blob thing. It was apparently a giant bat that took out the Fangs according to one of them. When he was finished Cinder rubbed her chin in thought. "Could these creatures be some manner of new biological weapon created by Atlas? Merging dust with animals to give them powers?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. So shall I get back to work?" Roman asked holding out his arms to the crates of stolen dust around them.

"You do that we will be moving on to phase two soon." Cinder told him as she walked past him and out of the building.

XXX

After classes the next day the group gathered in the school armory (after getting permission from Professor Goodwitch of course!) where spare weapons were stored to discuss ideas for Ash's 'weapon'. There was however one tiny problem they had failed to consider.

That Ash would be completely hopeless with any weapon.

"It was like it just exploded in his hand." Blake said stunned.

"Ow…." Jaune groaned from where he was currently making an imprint on the wall. On the upside a few seconds later Pyrrha got to take him to the nurse's office with him slung over her shoulder, his face centimeters from her rear. Maybe THAT would get his attention!

"Sorry!" Ash shouted before handing the broken remains of the backpack-blaster ball launcher thingy to Ruby who quietly gave a soft prayer to it with Yang.

"Maybe were being more complicated about this then we really need to be?" Weiss suggested. "He just needs a weapon to help him blend in. Not for actual fighting."

"Though we should still train him enough to make he can at least use it and not hurt himself." Blake

"We need something simple. Something like… this!" Weiss picked up something from the wall.

"Hey that's a katana!" Ruby said. "What does it do? Does it turn on fire? Shoot lightning?"

"Not the best idea sis considering what Ash did to that wall." Yang points to the wall that had a Z shaped burn mark cut into it.

"Sorry." Ash said again.

"It does absolutely nothing. It's just a katana. At best Ash could reinforce it with his aura and make wind slashes through sheer force if he's strong enough." Weiss explained.

"Here," She hands Ash the katana who takes a few practice swings before giving them all a smile. "I like it!"

"Good, we'll so practice later I think we've done enough damage today." Weiss motions to the ruined armory. As if to emphasis her point a piece of the ceiling fell down.

"In hindsight letting Ash test the weapons here was probably not a smart idea." Nora said a sheepish grin across her face.

"You think?" Ren asked.

XXX

Despite the explosive start. With Ash's "cover" now in place as just another face in the crowd, time moved on for everyone at Beacon and vacation had come quickly and was now nearing its end.

If certain people had their way vacation wasn't the only thing on its last day. Emerald and Mercury walked into the bookstore prepared to find Tukson and kill him. Cinder would be so pleased they took care of this loose end that idiot Roman had left hanging. However, they were not prepared for a man with blue hair, a woman with gravity defying red hair, and what appeared to be a cat faunus child working the shop with no Tukson in sight.

"Hello and welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun how can we help you?" The woman behind the counter smiled at them.

"Uh, Hello is Tukson here? I need to see him. He said to come in today for a book pickup." Emerald quickly lied.

"Sorry, Tukson has long since left to where… hey James where did Tukson say he was going again? Atlas was it?"

"I thought it was Mistral." The Cat Boy said.

"Could have sworn he said he was going to Vacuo." James rubbed his chin before shrugging. "Well he's not in Vale anymore that we know."

"He did leave us some instructions. We can check to see if your book pickup is on it." Jessie offered.

"No that's okay." Emerald said casually backing up out of the store, followed by Mercury, their mission a bust. "I wasn't that interested in it anyways."

XXX

Once the duo had left the store and they were absolutely sure the pair was gone the Rocket Trio had let out a sigh of relief. They knew trouble when they saw it. They were all about trouble (and make it double!) after all.

"Well it looks like Tukson was right, someone would come looking for him eventually." James said.

"Hope he's doing okay with his family." Meowth added. Tukson had taken them in when he found them on the streets. Even if he was merely using them to get the heck out of dodge he still gave them food, a roof over their heads, and a source of income. Covering his escape was the least they could do.

XXX

It had been sometime since the cafeteria incident and Ironwood's fleet had just arrived at Beacon's doorstep a day ago. Ash once again found himself in Ozpin's office showing several of his Pokemon to Ironwood. This included Muk (in fairness Ash had grabbed his PokeBall by mistake).

"Quite the affectionate creature." Ironwood managed to say from underneath Muk.

"Indeed." Ozpin said smiling. Even if he couldn't see it Ironwood could hear the amused tone in his old friend's voice.

"What's that Oz? You want a hug too?" Ironwood said. Muk perked up and with speed you wouldn't expect from a pile of sludge shot over and knocked Ozpin over in a great big hug.

"You brought this on yourself old friend." Ironwood said as he got to his feet with help from Greninja,

"I suppose I did." Ozpin groaned as he tried to untangle himself from the sludge to no avail. Ironwood shook his head a small smile gracing his features he then turned to address Ash.

"I'm sure you've heard this before, but 'Welcome to Remnant' Mr. Ketchum." Ironwood shook Ash's hand.

"I'm interested in hearing more about your world and Pokemon. Honestly, from everything I've read and heard, it sounds like your world is the complete opposite of ours."

"Yeah, I've never run into anything like the Grimm before. When I first got here I found a ruined town, there was so much-." Ash's throat hitched as he remembered what he saw. Tears started appearing in his eyes. In what many would consider a rare display of emotion Ironwood pulled Ash into a hug. There had been a time when he and all hunters for that matter had been in Ash's shoes.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." He told Ash before pulling away. He saw the pokémon were narrowing their eyes in anger, but he knew the anger wasn't directed at him.

"We don't like Grimm they're just _wrong_." Pikachu hissed his eyes narrowed. The other Pokemon gave nods and murmurs of agreement.

"They don't get hugs." Muk said.

"Those are thoughts I can support full heartily." Ironwood told them.

XXX

Elsewhere, in a world away, in the sacred place known as the Hall of Origins home to Arceus, creator of the Pokemon World, another meeting was taking place there. Legendary Pokemon from Kanto to Kalos were gathered there, various unown floated around here and there, and finally there were also five humans standing before Arceus. They were Lance, Cynthia, Steven, Alder, and Diantha. Otherwise known as the Champions of their respective regions.

"I apologize for suddenly summoning you all here, but we have a situation." Arceus told them. The gathered champions remained silent as Arceus continued.

"I do not know what caused it, but something damaged the barriers between dimensions enough that it is causing another world to leak into ours and visa versa and before you ask no I can't fix it because whatever caused it was of a power greater then my own."

"That's unsettling to hear." Lance whispered to Cynthia who nodded back silently.

"I tried to contact the powers of that world, but all I got was a busy signal (rude). Now since two dimensions leaking into one another will eventually result in mutual destruction. I was left with two options." He pauses here to make sure he has everyone's attention. Rayquaza smacks Groundon and Kyogre to get them to stop glaring at each other and pay attention to the boss.

"First, I could just destroy their world and wipe my hooves of the matter. However, that wouldn't be very nice so I'm not going to do that." He explains watching the faces of his audience go from shocked to relieved. He couldn't help be pleased at this. It was good to know that even the more aloof or hostile Legendaries weren't completely without a sense of compassion.

"The second option is instead of fighting the leaks I channel them and merge the worlds together. However, that comes with its own issues."

"Excuse me Arceus? Forgive me, but does this have anything to do with the unidentified 'Shadow Pokemon' that people are reporting encounters with." Steven spoke up.

"Forget reports I've seen them, wild pokemon just go absolutely nuts when these things are around," Alder commented, "they also disintegrate after taking enough damage which was freaky to watch the first few times."

"Yes and from what I've managed to gain they are called the 'Creatures of Grimm', they are soulless monsters that seem to exist for the sole purpose of killing all the humans and faunus of their world."

"Faunus?" Cynthia asked unfamiliar with the term.

"A sub-species that world's humanity to my understanding." Arceus created several images showing them examples of what faunus look like. "They have extra ears, or tails, horns, tusks, and such. They apparently suffer discrimination for it."

"That's stupid." Shaymin said from his perch on Giratina's head. There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the audience.

"Well racism is hardly rational." Lance pointed out.

"So they'd be like another species in humanity's 'egg' group then?" Zapdos asked with a slight grin. Next to him Articuno rolled his eyes at his brother's jest.

"Pretty much." Arceus shrugged. "Now obviously I'm not going to bring the Grimm over, but merging the worlds will take time…"

"You want us to mobilize a force to counter the Grimm whenever they come through." Lance realized.

"Exactly."

"What about the people over in Remnant?" Diantha asked. "Have you contacted any of them yet?"

"I have set over an emissary though he is unaware of his role at the moment, but he is my best troubleshooter for these kind of situations." Arceus told them.

"Who is he?" Lance asked.

"Some one you've all met at least once." Arceus shows them an image of Ash. Many of the Legendary Pokemon began to chatter amongst themselves at seeing 'that kid who saved them that one time'.

"…Somehow I'm not surprised." Cynthia said bemused.

"I will be sending him assistance soon. Which is the other reason for this meeting, but for now we need to focus on our side of the fence as it were." Arceus concluded and after a brief exchange of farewells he sent the Champions back to where ever they had been previously. With that done Arceus turned to the gathered legendaries.

"So who wants to go to another world and help Ash out?"

XXXX

 **EXTRA**

Summary: Leftover stuff that never made it into the finished product.

 **Pseudo Meetings**

Weiss: What is that thing? Is it a Pokemon?

Ruby: Ash lent me his PokeDex I'll check! *holds it up*

Dexter: Tyranitar, the Armor Pokémon: Tyranitar has a heavily armored body that can withstand powerful attacks, so it loves challenging enemies to battles. Overwhelmingly powerful, with just one hand it can crush a mountain. If it rampages, it will leave the landscape changed *insert picture of a demolished mountain and a buried river* in its wake. Maps must be redrawn afterwards.

Yang: …Well we're dead.

Blake: Maybe it won't attack if we don't make any sudden moves.

Gible: *Walks up to Tyranitar and waves hello* Gib-Gible!

Tyranitar: *Picks Gible up and sniffs him curiously* Ty-Tyranitar?

Gible: Gible. *Tyranitar hugs him*

Blake: They seem to know each other?

Weiss: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Yang: What do you think Ruby?

Ruby: *Huddled into a ball clutching CR protectively* …they're going to eat our weapons and than us!

Yang: …well she's gone.

 **Spanner in the Works**

Cinder: *Picks up her phone* Yes?

Roman: Cinder the plan is officially scrap.

Cinder: What happen?

Roman: You know that kid with the pet monsters? His land shark showed up and ate the train, the paladins, and the bombs! Oh, and that White Fang Goon's Chainsaw.

Cinder: And you just let it happen?

Roman: Did I forget to mention that IT. ATE. MELODIC CUDGEL. Then it meteor drops the cavern down on our heads!

Cinder: …What happen next?

Roman: *Gives a raspy laugh* Those kids and the rest of the monster pet shop showed up and made an even bigger mess of things!

 **Sticky Interrogations**

Ironwood: Now tell me who's really behind this.

Roman: You're looking at him.

Ironwood: Sure you are, now I don't approve of torture, but hugs aren't torture.

Roman: What? *Sees Muk appear next to Ironwood* You wouldn't.

Ironwood: *Opens the cell* I would. *Muk hugs Roman*

Muk: MUK! :)

Roman: I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK! JUST GET IT OFF ME! It's ruining my clothes!

Ironwood: I will... in about five minutes.

Roman: -_-

 **In which Cinder learns why the carrot approach is better than the stick**

Cinder: It would be wise for you to join us otherwise-*urk*

Sabrina: How about, no? *her eyes glow with psychic power as she lifts Cinder and her two stooges in the air* It has been a while since I made some new dolls.

Mercury: I do not like sound of that.

Several seconds later Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald find themselves in the form of dolls inside a dollhouse.

Emerald: Well this sucks.

 **If Ash had met Port first instead of Qrow**

Professor Port: So you're saying when you were in hot pursuit of a trio of dastardly thieves that had stolen your Pokemon the battle became so intense that the very fabric of time and space was torn asunder and you were all flung from your world into ours?

Ash: …Sure let's go with that.

Pikachu: Pika.

Professor Port: Impressive! You remind me much of myself when I was your age. Come with me to Beacon Academy; you can stay there till we find you away home!

 **Muk Hugs Take 1**

"Adam? I have something to tell you." Blake told him.

"What?"

"You need a hug."

"Why would I-gah!" Adama was cut off as a large pile of purple sludge body checked him to the ground and into an affectionate embrace. "MUK!" Came the happy cry. He loved making feel better with hugs!

 **Muk Hugs Take 2**

With unusual calmness Oak stared at the woman threatening his grandson's life if he didn't comply with her demands. "Miss Cinder… I believe you need a hug."

"What? Why would I need a hug?" Cinder asked staring at the old man incredulously wondering if he was senile. Her face then implanted into the ground as a pile of poison sludge tackled her from behind. "MUK!" Came the happy cry.

"Muk use Poison Gas the most potent you have." Oak ordered quickly knowing Cinder wouldn't stay down for long before slipping on a gas mask he had stashed in the desk drawer behind him. Even with the mask this was going to stink so bad.

 **Gible Eats Metal Take 1**

Mercury and Emerald were walking through the woods. From what they had seen so far the wildlife in this world was very colorful. "Do you hear that?" Emerald asked.

"Yeah what is it?" Came the reply. "I hope its not that Muk thing again I've had enough hugs for a life time."

They soon got their answer in the form of a small fin protruding out of the ground coming toward them. It stopped a few feet in front of them before the rest of it emerged revealing a small gray stumpy-limbed shark creature. "Gible."

"Ah its so cute." Emerald said squatting down to get a better look.

"Yeah ugly cute." Mercury quipped. Eyeing the creature cautiously. Was it just him or was this "Gible" looking at him funny?

"Kind of has a vacant look in his eyes though." She remarked waving her hand in front of Gible's face only to quickly pull it back when he tried to nip it.

"Careful almost lost your hand there." Mercury joked.

"Not funny."

Ignoring their banter Gible approached Mercury looking curiously at his legs. He smelled food, but humans weren't food. He poked Mercury's leg to feel it. His confusion only grew that didn't feel like a human leg. He poked it again to be sure.

"Why he's poking me?"

"Maybe he likes you?"

"Well I'm not interested." Mercury said attempting to kick Gible away only for the land shark to bite down onto his leg in retaliation. "Get it off!"

"Food!" Gible thought tasting the metal beneath the pant leg.

Several minutes later…

Having gotten away from Gible by sacrificing her own weapons as a snack when she realized he was after Mercury's artificial legs. Emerald carried Mercury like a sack of potatoes through the forest.

"I hate my life."

"I hate your life too."

 **Gible Eats Metal Take 2**

"They're stealing a paladin!" Ironwood shouted as Team Rocket started their get away in their newly acquired robot.

"With this will finally get Pikachu for sure!"

"Kind of cramped in here though."

"Uh oh look whose up ahead!" Meowth pointed at the view screen. Gible.

"And things were finally starting to look up." James lamented.

One minute later…

Ironwood stared forward a vacant look in his eyes. "Did… did that creature just eat a paladin several times its size like it was a snack?"

"Er… yes?"

 **Don't Mess With The Sunglasses**

Being given permission to walk around the corral Team CFVY soon encountered Squirtle who was chilling by the lake watching the other water types play around. When he saw them approach he looked at them curiously before noting a particular feature of Coco's and upon realizing she was the apparent leader a long imbedded instinct took over.

With a single motion Squirtle don his Squirtle Squad Sunglasses and straighten himself up standing as high as a species called the 'tiny turtle' could.

"Nice shades" Coco complimented crouching down to Squirtle's level. She knew when she was in the presence of a kindred spirit.

Squirtle pointed at her shades and said something that she assumed was a compliment to her own choice of eyewear and gave him a light pat on the head.

"Thanks."

"Krookodile."

Everyone turned to look at what would be a rather intimidating looking bipedal crocodile if it currently didn't look utterly miserable.

"Squirtle?" the turtle inquired.

"Krook." Krookodile made a glasses shape with his hands before pointing to face before pointing out into the water where they could see a trio of blue ducks, one of which was wearing a pair of red sunglasses. It wasn't hard for Team CFVY to connect the dots. Coco herself was looking notably furious. You do not mess with someone's sunglasses!

The Ducklett Trio never knew what hit them.

XXXX


	3. Ketchum House 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

 **a/n: Felt bad about taking this down so I decided to repost it.**

XXXX

 **Welcome to the "Catch'Em" House, Get it?**

Relaxing on his bed Ash looked up from the Kamen Rider manga he was reading to address the readers.

"Hello Ash Ketchum here, you know me I want to be the world's greatest Pokémon Master, but in this particular world things are a little different in the old Ketchum household-" He was cut off by a bang followed by some shouting and a scuffle. Before another voice ordered them to knock it off and pipe down while people were still sleeping.

"-in this world I'm not an only child.' Ash continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "Let me introduce you to my ten sisters."

XXX

Saber (Age 16), a tall blue-eyed blonde girl, with a whistle around her neck marched like a drill sergeant in front of her "troops". Standing in a row six Pokémon stood at attention. Charizard (her starter), Flygon, Haxorus, Tyrantrum, Dragalge (to deal with those pesky fairy types and keep Faye in line), and Kommo-o.

"Today's training will be target practice some of you seem to be slacking on your aim and today we're going to fix that." She told them sternly. Stepping to the side she pointed over to a group of poles that each had a can on them.

"Ready. Aim. Fire!"

Those poor cans never stood a chance.

XXX

Coral (Age 15) was another tall blue-eyed blonde girl, though with longer hair and wearing a pair of shades. She was sunning herself outside by a lake Slowpoke and Milotic sprawled out beside her.

"Ah what a nice sunny day."

XXX

She enjoys the simple things in life.

"Hello Ketchum House are you ready to ROCK!" shouted Harper (Age 14) as she and her band including an Exploud, Wigglytuff, Chatot, and Audino. After playing through the song the brunette set down her guitar and said, "Great job guys wait here and I'll get you all something to eat." The band cheered at this.

She heads into the kitchen and opens the fridge only for an apple pie to hit her in the face; the sound of laughter then filled her ears which then filled her with exasperation and annoyance.

"How do you like them apples? Hope you got an _eye_ ful!"

Harper brushed the pie off her face and gave her younger sister a look.

"Dude, Mom is going to be mad if this was one of the apple pies she spent all yesterday baking."

"Oh don't worry I made that treat all by myself." Harley (Age 13) brown hair tied into a ponytail. Next to her were her Mime Jr., Wobbuffet, and Exeggcute.

"Then you can have some!" Harper threw the remains of the pie at her sister striking her in the face.

"Yummy! Thanks!" Harley laughed even Harper tackled her to the ground their Pokémon watching on the sidelines. It was kind of fun to watch the humans battle instead of them for a change.

They're both Coordinators by the way.

XXX

"11, 12, 13, 14, …" Zelda (Age 12) said as she counted the number of pushups she and her Hitmontop were doing. Once they were done here they'd head outside and get some serious training done. No surprise, but her half of the room was filled with training equipment as for the other half of the room it looked like Halloween had come early.

"Oh my ghostly master how may I serve you?" Raven (Age 7) intoned while sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of a mirror.

Silence then the mirror rippled and a small paper fluttered out. The black haired girl picked it up and read the contents aloud (somehow despite the fact her bangs was blocking her eyes).

"Please, send me one of your Mother's apple pies. Thanks, Giratina." She looked back up at the mirror.

"As you wish it so shall it be!"

XXX

"Enjoying the tea party Mrs. Clefairy?" said Faye (Age 5), the little blonde haired girl in a pink dress was sitting at a table surrounded by dolls of various Fairy Pokémon. Her entire half of the room was covered in pink apparel. While it was all very neat and organized it was enough bright pink to hurt the eyes if you stared at it too long.

It contrast the other side of the room was messy and had more earthy colors like brown or gray. Kneeling in the mess was Sandy (Age 5) an identical blonde dressed in overalls and hat who was currently digging through her stuff trying to find something.

"No, no, not it, nope." Sandy said throwing the items aside not paying attention to where they landed. One such item made its way all the way to Faye's side of the room and right into the middle of her tea party knocking cups and dolls over.

" _Sandy…"_ Faye growled.

"Yes?" Sandy looked over before paling at the look her sister was giving her. A short 'oh crud' was all she managed before her sister tackled her and a brawl ensued.

XXX

"Yes soon my portal to Ultra Space shall be complete! Those fools at the Aether Foundation who rejected my designs will be sorry once I'm the one publishing reports about the life forms there before they do!" Gina (Age 3) declared before breaking out into a fit of maniacal laughter as her Magnemite, Beldum, and Klink buzzed around her as various machines hummed with power. Yes she 'owns' her own pokémon despite being three (technically they were caught by Mom and Dad for her), however she's not allowed to go travelling till she was ten like the rest of them.

"Mistress Gina the system is overloading! Explosion imminent!" Her Porygon beeped appearing next to her. The three steel types bolted from the room.

"Poo-poo!" said Lily (several months old) holding her Oddish doll as she watched all this from her crib.

"My sentiments exactly Lily." Gina said before ducking for cover.

The subsequent explosion would rock the house.

XXX

"Speaking of the number ten, I will be ten-years-old tomorrow so I'll be getting my first pokémon from Professor Oak!" Ash said before giving a victory sign to the readers. "And there is no way I'm going to be late for that!"

Never heard of tempting fate have you Ash?

"I'M LATE!"

"Wait you idiot don't run outside in you pajamas! Change first!" Saber grabbed Ash before he was out the door and got him into his day clothes. She had just enough time to hand him his backpack before he was out the door.

"Remember to pick Charmander! He's the best one!" Saber called after him as Ash disappeared down the road.

"Technically speaking _Bulbasaur_ is the best one." Gina corrected.

"Hey Harley why didn't you teleport him?" Harper asked. The rest of the siblings had watched the scene with a mix of mild amusement and concern.

"Watching him freak out was funnier." The others all sighed.

"Dang it Harley…"

XXXX

When Ash called home from the Pokemon Center he hoped Mom would be the one to pick up and not one of his sisters, but sadly the odds were not in his favor.

"Hello?"

"Uh… hi Sandy."

Okay he could handle Sandy, hopefully she wouldn't holler for the others.

"Ash? Where are you?"

"Viridian, say could I talk to Mom-"

"HEY GUYS ASH IS CALLING FROM VIRIDIAN!"

No suck luck.

"Ash, are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Wow you got there in less then in a day! That has got to be a record!"

"Especially considering our family's horrible sense of direction…"

"Yeah it took Dad like four days to get there."

"When do you think he'll be back from his latest trip?"

"Based on my calculations: three months, five days, twenty minutes, and thirty-two seconds."

"Did you catch any new Pokémon yet?"

"Bet you he didn't even catch one."

"How's Pikachu doing?"

Being reminded of the Pokémon that for all he knew was hanging onto death's door made the guilt in his stomach rise up with a vengeance. He should of known this would be a bad idea. Not wanting them to see him upset Ash decided to end the call.

"I'm going to hang up now." Ash hung up the phone and turned around only to come face to face with all ten of his sisters (and Harley's Mime Jr. that teleported them there).

"Dang it."

"…and then I took him to the Pokémon Center." Ash finished telling his sisters how his first day as a trainer went. Ash was prepared to hear a lot of things. Like how impulsive he was, how terribly he handled the situation, the usual ribbings his sisters gave him when he screwed up. So count him surprised when he was pulled into a mass group hug instead. Surprise turn to gratitude and he return the hug as best he could. They stayed that way for a minute before pulling a part.

"I'm just glad you're okay brother. I don't want to give any of you a funeral service anytime soon." Raven said.

"What are spearow doing on route 1? This isn't their usual habitat according to what I read." Gina said.

"You seriously need to get out more. You can't learn everything in books." Zelda told her.

"And you could stand to read a few more considering how you barely passed the paper portion of your trainer license exam." Gina shot back.

Zelda open her mouth but then closed it unable to think of a retort.

"Going to need a _burn_ heal for that one." Harley said with a laugh while the family groaned.

"We'll wait here with you. By the way what happen to that girl you borrowed that bike from?"

"THERE YOU ARE!"

The family turned to see a red headed girl holding a very fried bike.

"What happen to your bike?" Zelda asked.

"He is what happen to by bike after he took it to save his Pokemon!" Misty said nodding her head at Ash.

"From a flock of wild spearow that were trying to kill him. What would you have done?" Gina pointed out logically.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT! The point is who is going to buy me a new one?" Misty said her nostrils flaring you'd think she was a fire type and not a water type specialist (not that the Ketchum siblings knew that).

"I could fix it." Sandy offered.

"You could?" Misty asked calming down slightly.

"Yeah it might take me a bit, but I could do it." Sandy walked over and started looking at the scorched bike. "This isn't any worse then what happen to Zelda's bike that one time Ash borrowed it and rode it into that voltorb field."

"Come to think of it what is it with you, electric types, and bikes?" Zelda asked.

"Bad luck?" Ash said weakly.

"There is no such thing as luck." Gina said dismissively.

"How do you know there isn't a legendary pokémon of luck and fortune? They find new pokémon everyday!" Raven said.

"It would then be the legendary of causality and manipulate cause and effect." Gina explained.

"Sure if you want to science the fun of the lore out of it." Raven sulked.

"Misty is that you?" Coral moved to the front of the group. "Like it is! How you been?"

"c-Coral?" Misty stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Checking in on my baby brother with the rest of my family of course!" Coral pulled Ash into a hug smashing his face against her chest (get your minds out of the gutter). "When he called us we thought something was wrong so we teleported over and found out he and Pikachu were attacked by some meanie birds." She said while oblivious to the fact Ash was trying to pull out of her hug to get air.

"Pikachu is currently in the emergency room." Faye said to MIsty.

"I have prepared for a funeral." Raven said holding up a coffin.

"RAVEN!" The other sisters shouted while Ash choked back his tears suddenly not feeling like trying to escape Coral's grip.

"Sorry." Raven said putting the coffin away. She was only trying to help the only way she knew how.

"How long have you been waiting?" Misty asked.

"Too long and Bro has been waiting even longer." Harper said.

"Poo-poo." Lily said waving a bulbasaur doll.

"What she said." Harley agreed.

"So how do you two know each other?' Saber asks coral deciding to change the subject.

"Oh I'm friends with her sisters you see they're-" Coral started to explain but was cut off by the beep from the emergency room signaling that the operation was over. The group hurried over to the door as Nurse Joy and Chansey came out rolling Pikachu out on a stretcher.

"Is Pikachu okay?" Ash asked afraid to hear the answer.

"He'll be fine he just needs rest." Joy told him pleasantly.

"Thank goodness." Coral said giving her brother another hug.

"Guess I don't need this anymore." Raven tosses the coffin she had made into a trashcan and gives a forlorn sigh.

Then the alarm went off and everyone heard Officer Jenny's voice reporting that an aircraft belonging to pokémon thieves was approaching.

"Well that just tops off my first day as a pokemon trainer doesn't? What did I do to deserve this?" Ash groaned.

"Well if you want to know…" Faye took out a list.

"Your first day isn't over yet. We aren't some helpless victims they can prey on." Saber said taking charge of the situation.

"Yeah these crooks have no idea who they're dealing with!" Zelda cheered. The rest of the Ketchum siblings joined in.

"…yeah?" Misty awkwardly joined in.

When Team Rocket busted in the Pokémon Center they expected those inside to flee and cower before them, to stare in awe at their amazing presence and outfits, to try and make up lame excuses that they had no pokémon worth any value, they expected some to try and fight them only to be defeated by their superior skill.

Jessie was then hit the face with a baby diaper, a _used_ baby diaper, a number two used baby diaper from the smell of it.

Things proceeded to go down hill from there.

They heard someone cry out "ATTACK!" and were charged by a group of blonde and brunette girls and one boy in a hat who released a horde of pokémon including dragon, water, normal, psychic, and fighting types that swiftly dealt with Koffing and Ekans throwing their defeated forms at their trainers' feet.

It suddenly occurred to Jessie and James that maybe they needed more Pokémon.

"Well clearly errors have been made." James gulped taking a step back.

"I don't like the looks of this!" Meowth said having wisely retreated behind Jessie and James.

"Hello."

The trio screamed as Raven appeared behind them. Before they could regain their bearings the trio was then bum rushed by the trainers and five youngsters being tackled to the ground and got pounded from all sides before being toss unceremoniously out the center's front door.

"And STAY OUT!" Saber shouted after them.

Lying sprawled out on the street the defeated thieves groaned from their injuries. James was clutching the area between his legs, Jessie could still feel the poo on her face, and Meowth's tail ached all over. They hadn't expected that at all.

"And today had been going so well…" Meowth moaned.

"Well that was fun." Faye wiped her hands.

"We certainly kicked them to the curb!" Harley fist bumped with Sandy.

"Reminds me of the time we had to chase off poachers from the rez." Harper agreed.

"Seriously, who tries to rob a Pokémon Center with only three Pokémon?" Zelda asked.

"Idiots duh." Coral said the irony of her statement lost on her.

"I just want this night to be over already." Ash said with a sigh.

"Ash Pikachu is waking up!" Misty shouted.

The eleven siblings didn't even share a glance before they were suddenly next to the stretcher. Misty hadn't even seen them run they were just _there._

"Pikachu how are you feeling?" Ash asked.

"Pikapi" said the yellow rodent looking up at him with a smile before jumping into his arms. Ash return the smile and hugged Pikachu back that something went right today.

"Awwww."The Ketchum sisters all gushed even Misty couldn't help but join in.

"I told you they'd work it out. They just needed time to get their rhythms in sync." Harper told Zelda.

"So you did." Zelda said with a slight smile happy to be wrong this time while hoping Harper had forgotten their deal.

"So dude where's my money?"

"Dang it." Zelda muttered before handing over the cash.

Looking up from Pikachu Ash spotted the picture of the legendary pokémon on the wall and remembered about what he saw earlier.

"Oh yeah you guys aren't going to believe this, but I saw Ho-Oh after the storm ended! He flew right over the rainbow!"

"What? You've got to be making that up! He's got to be making that up right?" Misty said her reaction one of disbelief.

"Really cool!" Sandy and Faye said together.

"What?" Misty said.

"Well Ho-Oh is the _rainbow_ pokémon its what he does." Harley said.

"He must have seen you and Pikachu defend yourselves against the spearow flock and found you worthy to see him." Raven suggested.

"What?"Misty said again.

"So that's what made my Legendary Pokémon Detector go off." Gina said rubbing her chin in thought.

"What?" Misty said a third time.

"Do you have any proof?" Zelda asked.

"Well I have this rainbow feather." Ash said holding up a beautiful multicolored feather that glistened in the light.

"That's proof all right." Saber nodded.

There was a thump of something hitting the ground and they all looked to see Misty lying on the ground.

"Someone wake me when things are normal again…" Misty groaned.

"What is this thing you call 'normal' and why does it offend me?" Raven asked.

Ash looked at her with a smile that was somewhere between sympathetic and amused.

"Welcome to my world."

XXXX

EXTRA: Stop Bugging Me

Despite his sisters telling him they were heading home Ash still had the distinct impression he was being followed and no he was not talking about Misty as they headed into Viridian Forest. Along the way he managed to catch a Caterpie and a Pidgeotto. With a bit of practice sparring with Pikachu and a confidence boost Caterpie evolved into Metapod.

He just about to catch a weedle when some guy in samurai armor challenged him to battle and shoved a sword in his face

His hunch from earlier was confirmed when the sword Samurai had shoved into his face was pulled out of his hands by the tell-tell sign of Mime Jr.'s psychic powers and pointed back in the face of the startled "warrior". His helmet was then pulled away before he had the chance to grab it.

"HIGH JUMP KICK!" Zelda shouts before drop kicking the bug trainer in the head.

"You know I _should_ be mad you guys followed me, but I'll let it slide this time." Ash told his two sisters, "Anyone else here?"

"No just us." Harley said. "We thought we should jump in when that guy shoved a sword in your face."

"We figured we'd make sure you'd get to Pewter okay." Zelda explained.

"Who dares interrupt a warrior's challenge?" Samurai demanded. They all turn to see he had gotten back to his feet and this time was holding one of his pokeballs.

"Who dares put a sword in the face my little brother?" Zelda returned his question with her own but with greater vehemence in her voice. The kind only an older sibling could have upon witnessing their younger sibling being threatened.

"…Touché." Samurai conceded. Family was important after all. Even he could understand that.

"Well the weedle got away so I guess we can battle now." Ash said.

So everyone else stepped back and let the boys have their fun.

"Pinsir I choose you!" Samurai called except instead of a giant beetle a metapod came out instead. "…It would appear I've been struck in the head harder then I thought."

"Do you want to do this another time?" Ash offered.

"No a true warrior never lets an injury hinder him from joining the battle!" Samurai said despite the fact that he was swaying.

"Okay, I'll see your Metapod with my own." Ash sends out Metapod.

"Metapod, use harden!"

"Metrapod, harden even more then his!"

"…This could take a while." Harley told the others.

~three hours later~

"Harden again!"

"Maximum hardness Metapod!"

"I feel jealous for some reason." Zelda admitted to her own confusion.

"Gina was right everything really is Freudian." Harley groaned with a double face palm (For when one face palm isn't enough).

It was then they all heard a large buzzing noise fill the forest. What that was clearly getting closer. Seconds later they saw the first members of the approaching swarm appear.

"Oh crap beedrill!"

"That weedle you failed to catch must have alerted the rest of his kind …good day." Samurai grabbed his sword and ran.

"Wow he was a real warrior alright." Misty said before taking off herself.

"We can take them!" Zelda said before noticing the sheer numbers of what were essentially large flying three-pronged spears coming their way, "Never mind!"

"EVERYBODY RUN!"

XXXX

EXTRA: Oldest, Middle, Youngest, and Only

"So let me see if I got this right." Brock started to say as he, Ash, and Misty walked down the path towards Mt. Moon.

"I'm the oldest of ten siblings with five younger brothers and four younger sisters, Ash is the middle child of eleven siblings five older sisters and five younger sisters, and you Misty are the youngest of four sisters." Brock finished.

"Yeah sorry my family isn't as massive as either of yours. Wait, no I'm not." Misty said.

"It has its ups and downs." Ash said and Brock nodded in agreement.

"So Misty if we're traveling together I guess that makes Brock the oldest child, me the middle child, and you the youngest child right?" Ash asked with a straight face.

"Yeah I guess-Wait NO! I'm two-years older then you!" Misty snapped grabbing his cheeks.

"Brock Misty's picking on me!" Ash whined.

"I'll do more then pick on you-you cheeky brat!" Misty said.

"I'm reminded of home already." Brock said smiling fondly before pulling the two a part

"Now, now, you two behave yourselves." Brock scolded.

For a moment the three just stared at one another before bursting out laughing.

Standing to the side having jumped off when Misty grabbed Ash a second ago Pikachu stared as the humans laughed at each other confused. Then again he had been an only child so maybe there was a joke here he just wasn't getting or it was just humans being weird. Yeah, it was probably just humans being weird.


	4. Ketchum House 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

 **Who Abandons Their Starter?**

Vermillion City Park a nice place to bring the family for a day of fun filled activities.

It was the perfect place for Ash to meet up with his older sisters (Saber, Coral, Harper, Harley, and Zelda). He showed them his current team: Pikachu, Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

Saber and Coral squealed in excitement and picked up Charmander and Squirtle.

"So cute!" The two elder sisters declared. Charmander wagged his tail happily as Saber petted him. Squirtle just looked smug.

"So is it true you freaked out when Butterfree here was a Caterpie?" Zelda asked.

"Did Ash tell you about that?" Misty asked shooting Ash a glare. She was the only one here as Brock had to go run some errands.

"I didn't know we were keeping it a secret." Ash said with a shrug.

"Seriously? They're not even poisonous." Zelda said.

"I guess they really bug you, get it?" Harley laughs while the others sigh.

"Moving on, I'm curious to hear how you got all three starters in a row bro." Harper said.

"Well it went something like this…" Ash said as he began his tale.

XXX

"First Misty disappears and now Brock has to go do stuff. They could've at least left me a map of the city." Ash complains to Pikachu. The two were hopelessly lost after wandering the city for several hours. Walking past a building Ash then doubled back to reread the sign on the door.

"Oh cool the Cerulean Pokémon Shelter! My sister Coral has a friend who works here. Her name was Melanie I think…" Ash said to Pikachu before they went inside.

Finding Melanie hadn't been hard, she was right at the front desk.

"So your Coral's little brother? Nice to finally meet you, Coral told me lots about you." Melanie said.

"Good things I hope." Ash replied.

"Yeah and actually I think you might be a good candidate for a special case we have at the shelter."

"Special case?"

"Yes, you see he's been real stubborn and rejected every adoptee so far."

"Is he a troublemaker?"

"Actually not at all, he helps out around the shelter whenever he can."

Ash and Pikachu exchanged a look.

"Well I'll be happy to meet him and see how it goes."

"Great!"

Bulbasaur was relaxing in his bed when he heard Melanie calling his name.

"Bulbasaur could you please come here for a moment? There is someone I'd like you to meet."

Must be another trainer she wanted him to meet. He didn't mind that Melanie did this as it was her job, but he wasn't sure he wanted another trainer after what happen with his first one. Bulbasaur walked over to where Melanie was.

"I'll leave you two-three-alone." She said before walking over to help another customer. Three? Bulbasaur then noticed Pikachu on the boy's shoulder. Huh, not many trainers would literally carry their pokémon around like that-if any. The Pikachu at least seem to be enjoying his perch.

"Hello Bulbasaur I'm Ash and this is Pikachu!" The white haired boy greeted.

"(Hi!)" Pikachu greeted hopping off Ash's shoulder a paw out stretched in greeting. Bulbasaur was never one to be rude so he extended a vine and shook 'hands' if you will. "(This is my trainer Ash. He's nice if a bit odd sometimes)"

"(So is this when you tell me how awesome your trainer is and how much stronger I will be under his care?)" Bulbasaur asked sarcastically. He had been through this song and dance routine so many times he had lost count.

"So you want to get stronger?"

"(Well yes, but…)" Bulbasaur trailed off realizing it hadn't been _Pikachu_ who spoke and he looked up at Ash with surprise on his face, "(You can understand me?)"

"I live on a reservation that takes care of abused and abandon pokémon owned and run by my family." Ash told him, "I lived my whole life surrounded by pokémon so I guess I just picked up the language, same with my sisters."

"(Sisters?)"

"(He has 10. They're all crazy)" Pikachu answered him. Ash just nodded his head in agreement.

"So do you want to get stronger? I'll be happy to help you with that." Ash told Bulbasaur.

That was a tempting offer and he could tell the boy was being genuine, but the painful memory of his trainer dumping him on the side of the road held him back.

"What happen?" Ash asked suddenly. Bulbasaur stared up at him in surprise. Was he that easy to read?

"I've seen that look before." Ash explained. Oh, right his family took care of abandoned pokémon. Bulbasaur was silent for a minute before answering.

"(They dumped me after finding a 'better' grass type)" He finally said.

"(Harsh)" Pikachu said.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. It's not fair or right." Ash told the grass type solemnly. He looks over his shoulder to see Melanie watching them before turning back to Bulbasaur.

"So tell you what, why don't you come with us and see how it goes, if it doesn't work out you can come back here, stay at my family's reservation, or go wherever you want. Whatever happens, I promise you this: I will not throw you away." Ash held out his hand.

Bulbasaur stared at his hand and as the seconds ticked away Ash was wondering if his offer would be rejected, but then Bulbasaur spoke:

"(Shouldn't there be a PokeBall in your hand?)" The Grass Starter smiled at him.

Ash and Pikachu smiled back.

XXX

"Sometimes all you've gotta do is ask." Harley said while the rest of her siblings nodded in agreement.

"So Squirtle is next right?" Coral asked.

"No it was Charmander actually…" Ash said resuming his tale.

XXX

Running through the rain with an injured possibly dying pokémon in his arms brought back memories of the first day of his journey. This time his legs were fueled by rage at the one responsible. Running alongside him Misty and Brock felt the same way.

It all just became a blur for Ash from them running down the trail, bursting through the center's door, and hurrying to the front desk where a startled Nurse Joy greeted them. She took one look at Charmander and rushed him into the emergency room.

They waited for maybe an hour maybe two before a Chansey came and got them taking them to the room Charmander was recovering in. The fire type was asleep on a bed with medical equipment hooked up to him. Ash felt relief seeing that Charmander was alive and would live according to Nurse Joy. However the moment was cut short by her question:

"How could you let it get in this condition?" However, before Ash could snap at her Misty and Brock beat him too it.

"It wasn't us!" Misty defended.

"Damien was the one who abandoned Charmander after telling him he'd come back for him." Brock explained.

"He was bragging about it in the waiting room." Ash said his tone acid.

"I see." Nurse Joy nodded. This didn't surprise her really Damien and his crew had a bad reputation after all. This only confirmed it.

When Charmander woke up and realized he was in pokémon center his first thought was how he had got there before remembering the three trainers he had met earlier that day had rescued him from the rain. If he saw them again he'd have to thank them, but for now he had to get back to the rock and wait for Damien. He promised he'd come back after all.

Charmander hopped off the bed and headed out of the room in search for the exit. Heading down a hallway he came to a large room where many people were sitting around eating breakfast or just chatting amicably. Glancing around Charmander's eyes zoomed in on one group or to be precise one member of it: Damien. He was here. Happily he scampered over to his trainer.

"Don't do anything stupid Ash." Misty said.

"Don't worry my sisters have told me guys like that aren't worth the time of day." Ash replied, "Besides why are you telling me? Brock was the one who nearly took his head off last night."

Brock was about to reply when he saw something that made him pause before standing up.

"Brock?"

"Charmander." Brock said.

The other two looked over to where Brock was looking to see Charmander heading over to Damien.

"This is gonna suck." Misty said. Neither of the boys disagreed.

Charmander expected a happy reunion with his trainer. That Damien would be glad to see him. He did not expect Damien to look at him with annoyance

"What are you doing here?" Damien asked.

"I thought you said you got rid of it Damien." Lackey said.

"(What?)" Charmander said not sure-no hoping he had misunderstood that.

"I did get rid of him." Damien said to Charmander's shock. "And you're supposed to be dead from what I heard. Looks like some bleeding hearts went out and rescued this weakling boys." He told his friends before giving a quick chuckle that cut through Charmander's heart worse then any slash attack.

"(Damien no you don't mean that I'm your starter you can't-)" Charmander said reaching out to grab his pant leg. Only to be shaken off as Damien stood up.

"Man you really are stupid. Let me spell it out for you: I. Don't. Want. You."

Charmander started to cry at this point a sight that made Damien only scoff.

"You really are just a pathetic baby aren't you?"

Something inside Charmander snapped and he proceeded to set Damien and everything else on fire.

Acting quickly Misty unleashed Starmie and Staryu and commanded them to use water gun to put out the fire before it spread she was joined by several other trainers in that task with their own water types. Several of them struck Charmander sending him flying backwards and cutting his rampage off. Though the trainers who ordered that would rather have let Charmander continue to torch Damien's face some more. Nobody liked that jerk.

Speaking of said jerk. Damien still clutching his face found himself hoisted to his feet by his collar to face an angry Brock.

"Hi." Brock said before decking Damien knocking him out.

"About time someone did that." One of the other trainers muttered to another who nodded in agreement. Others gave cheers and whistles. No one liked Damien or his posse.

With that out of his system Brock turned to see Ash and Pikachu kneeling next to Charmander. The little fire type subdued from the water attacks it had taken just sat there with a broken expression on his face.

"I'm not going to ask if you're okay because that'd be a stupid question." Ash said gently.

"(Why did you save me?)" Charmander asked.

"I don't need a reason to save people. You needed help that's all there was too it." Ash explained.

"(…You're a nice person)" Charmander said.

"Too nice some of my sisters might say." Ash said giving a chuckle. He had a nice laugh Charmander thought.

"(So what do I do now? Where should I go?)" Charmander asked.

"Well you can come with us if you want." Ash offered.

"(Yeah, you got spunk.)" Pikachu said pointing to the burnt part of the center and the groaning forms of Damien and his gang. "(I like your style!)"

Charmander thought about that. Well Ash did save his life so he should repay him and he was clearly a nice guy so why not?

XXX

"Well this has been an eventful day." Ash said as he petted the sleeping Charmander in his lap. "Only one thing left to do." Ash whips out his PokeGear and activates the phone feature and makes a call.

"Hey Saber. Me? I'm fine, but I've got something I need to tell you…" Several minutes later Ash hung up the phone and gave a small evil smile.

Miles away an inhuman roar of rage shook the Ketchum house.

"I'm sleeping Giratina I can't give you any pie right now." Raven said as she covered her head with a pillow.

"I'm going out, don't know when I'll be back." Saber hollered as she went out the door. Someone was going to burn in dragon fire.

XXX

"Should I prepare a funeral?"

"What did you do to that guy anyways?" Zelda asked.

"I just had a chat with him about common decency and tact." Saber replied with a smile that made everyone edge away from her.

"So I'll just move on to Squirtle now…" Ash said.

XXX

"Again?" Ash said. This was getting ridiculous first Bulbasaur, then Charmander, and now _five_ Squirtle? While you could catch them in the wild it was very rare as Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle were domesticated pokémon the "Kanto Starters" and Bulbasaur and Charmander were starters so odds are so were these squirtle. Who the **CENSOR** abandons their starter?

"So what do you want to do Ash?"

"I'm going to go find them and talk to them." Ash said.

"You're going to offer them a home on your family's reservation." Brock said. It wasn't a question.

"How do you intend to find them?"

"I have my ways." Ash said smiling mysteriously at them. Misty and Brock exchanged a look was it just them or did Ash's eyes just glow?

XXX

"I wonder if I should tell them my family has aura powers?" Ash mused to himself as he Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Charmander walked down a trail near the town. Brock was a nice guy, kind of the big brother he never had and Misty was okay when she let herself relax, but he'd been told by his parents and his sisters to keep his (and their) abilities quiet in fear of those who'd want to abuse such power learning of it.

So locating them wasn't a problem when he could sense their auras. They were all gathered some ways up ahead in a cave behind a waterfall they apparently lived in. However they weren't alone. They were being attacked by wild pokémon! Not even bothering to come up with a plan Ash broke into a run.

Wild pokémon could sometimes be jealous of human trained pokémon because they had been 'chosen', because they were getting free food, getting training to become stronger then they could in the wild, and getting freed food.

When they were with their trainers they were usually safe, but if they had been abandoned and cast out then they were seen as easy pickings.

The Squirtle Squad hadn't helped their situation by pulling pranks on anyone who crossed them-including a gang of Poliwhirl that they'd compete with for food. In hindsight that had probably been a mistake thought that.

"You _rejects_ are always causing trouble and we've had it. Time for us to put you in your place!" The lead Poliwrath said.

Never mind ruining this prick's day was totally worth it.

One dynamic punch with enough a force to send him to the back of the cave made him briefly reconsider that.

"(Nah, still worth it)."

His squad helps him off his shell and onto his feet. Squirtle adjusted his sunglasses.

"(Alright tough guy you wanna go a few rounds? We'll go a few rounds)." Squirtle then proceeded to skull bash Poliwrath in the face knocking him back. Though not as far to Squirtle's annoyance.

And like that the battle was joined. However numbers and speed were the deciding factor in this battle. The frogs outnumbered them three to one and were more mobile then they were. Also that double slap _hurt._

"(Time to send you clowns _up the river)_." Poliwrath declared as he looked down on the battered squad.

"(Wouldn't it be down the stream since the water is going down?)" One Poliwag asked.

"(I know what I said)." Poliwrath said and grabbed Squirtle by one of his legs and headed towards the edge of the cliff. He promptly tossed Squirtle off towards the rapids below. Falling to what could only be death or severe injury Squirtle decided to have the last word.

"(Cowabunga)!"

"Bulbasaur, vine me up like a fishing line." Ash ordered before jumping over the cliff face. Bulbasaur swore but complied managing to snag one vine around Ash's leg before he disappeared under the water.

"(You guys help Bulbasaur reel Ash in)." Pikachu ordered Charmander and Butterfree.

"(Pidgeotto your with me.)" Pikachu told the bird before turning to the cave entrance cheeks sparking.

The first sign Poliwrath had that things were about go wrong was when Pidgeotto swooped in and caught the second squirtle before it hit the water.

The second sign was a simple friendly, "(Hi)."

He looked down and saw Pikachu smiling up at him. It was a nice smile, but that was the problem. It was the kind of smile someone gave before they unleashed all the pain they could muster upon you.

" **PI-KA-CHU!"**

Pikachu used Thunderbolt. Its super-effective!

Under the water Squirtle expected to be swept up by the stream, knocked around by the rapids, and carried off to who knows where before managing to crawl his sorry sore shell onto a river bank.

Feeling a pair of arms wrap around him followed by the sensation of being yanked up out of the water was not something he expected. Not that he was complaining.

What left him a loss for words however was to see the kid he had pranked earlier being the one to rescue him.

"You okay Squirtle? Don't worry I won't ever let you go." Ash said to him as he held onto Bulbasaur's vine with one hand and Squirtle with the other. The wisecracking leader of the Squirtle Squad could only nod. If it ever came up he would say it was water from the river dripping down his face and not tears from crying like a baby.

XXX

"After that I told the squad about the reservation and that they could have a home there till they figured out what it is they want to do and Squirtle here decided he wanted to come along with me." Ash finished.

"We should chew you out for putting yourself in danger like that, but I would of done the same thing in your shoes. Good job bro." Saber said while his other sisters nodded.

"I'm like going to get home ASAP and give those poor squirtle BIG HUGS!" Coral declared.

"We should call Professor Oak and ask him if there's been a sudden rise in starters being abandon." Harper suggested.

"Yeah this isn't cool!" Zelda agreed.

Sensing what was about to happen Ash took a step back and motioned for Misty and his Pokemon to do the same as his sisters turned into a mini-tornado of righteous fury.

"(I see what you mean by them being crazy)." Bulbasaur whispered to Pikachu. "(You say that like it's a bad thing)." Squirtle said.

"(They seem nice… from a safe distance anyways)." Charmander said wincing as Ash got pulled into the Sisternado.

XXXX

EXTRA: The Deal

"So your Charmander is now a Charizard? That's awesome! Can I meet him?" Saber said practically squealing in delight. She, Ash, Misty, and Brock were in a diner having lunch. To her confusion the other three froze.

"That's not really a good idea." Misty told her.

"More like an idea that'll only end with lots of things on fire." Brock added.

"I don't know where I went wrong." Ash said last.

"I could use an explanation please. I thought you two were tight." Saber said.

"We were. Then he evolved and now were not."

"Ash you can't just walk around with an out of control fire type. Especially a Charizard they've _literally_ been known to cause forest fires on _accident!_ "

"Speaking from personal experience I take it?" Misty asked. The siblings ignored her.

"I know okay? I can handle it." Ash said.

"I don't think you do. You've seen how the higher evolved abandoned pokemon at the shelter can get. Someone can get hurt namely you." Saber countered.

"I said _know_ I don't need _your_ help to raise my Pokemon okay!" Ash snapped back. Saber went silent taking a moment to regret past acts of teasing. Her brother could be so insecure at times. Then an idea formed in her mind.

"Well if your going to be stubborn about this how about deal?"

"What kind of deal?"

"I'll give you three days to get Charizard under control. If you fail you accept my help."

"And if I succeed?"

"I'll do any favor you ask." Saber said and held out her hand, "do we have a deal?"

Ash thought about it having his older sister 'owe' him one was a very tempting offer. He saw Brock giving him a nod and thumbs up. Well if Brock thought he could it…

"Deal."

XXX

EXTRA: Swellow's Break Evolution (or an explanation for Thunder Armor)

"So Gina what exactly happen to Pikachu and Swellow?" Ash asked his second youngest sister. The super genius adjusted her glasses as she looked at the readout from her computer.

"Break Evolution."

"Break Evolution?"

"In terms your feeble mind would understand your Pokémon went Super Saiyan and activated their 'Golden Super Mode' as you would call it. All fully evolved Pokémon are supposedly capable of this." Gina explained.

"But Pikachu isn't fully evolved." Raven pointed out.

"Well our brother's Pikachu has always been bit of an odd Golduck or Swellow's break evolution energy simply leaked over to him given their proximity."


	5. Ketchum House 3

**Shipwreck on Seafoam**

Getting invites to party aboard the St. Anne for Pokémon Trainers had been a stroke of good luck for Ash, his sisters, and his friends. None knew however that their pleasure cruise was going to be anything but.

Brock knew Ash had sisters. The 10-year-old had even shown him pictures of them, but seeing them in person especially the three oldest was a completely different experience. With hearts in his eyes he dashed forward and introduced himself.

"Hi my name is Brock, I'm a friend of Ash, and I must say you are the most beautiful-!" He started his declaration of eternal love and devotion only to be quickly cut off.

"Have a boyfriend sorry." Saber told him. There was the first arrow.

"Ditto." Coral said (though she was looking at an actual Ditto and had no idea Brock was there). There was the second arrow.

"A girlfriend in my case." Harper said and there was the third and final arrow right through the heart.

"Crushed again." Brock sighed forlornly as Geodude patted him on the back.

After nearly taking half the food at the buffet table. The Ketchum siblings moved to claim a table for themselves, Misty and Brock. The latter two stared in silence as the family ate their food like a tribe of living vacuum cleaners.

"So Ash your up to three badges now huh? Any idea for your next gym?" Harper asked.

"Oh I know! You can visit my friend Sabrina she uses psychic types like me, but she' _crazy_ strong your going to need to train really hard to be able to beat her." Harley told him.

"Sure I'll give it a try." Ash grinned giving his sister a thumb up before remembering what he wanted to show them, "By the way I caught a Krabby." To prove his claim Ash released the crab pokémon from his ball and onto the table.

"Ooh you caught another water type that's like so cool!" Coral said. She then proceeded to give some of her cookie to Krabby.

"Kookie!" Krabby said happily.

"What did he say?" Misty asked.

"Cookie." Ash replied.

"Hey look some people are battling over there!" Zelda points over to where a crowd of people are gathered, "DIBS!" She shouts before running over leaving Ash and Saber to sulk in their seats.

"You can still go watch." Harper points out. The two looked at each other before getting up and going over.

One minute later a bored looked Zelda returns to the table with Ash and Saber in tow. Ash counting his winnings from an apparent bet they made.

"Short fight?" Brock asked.

"He had a Raticate, I use Fighting-Types." Zelda replied and said no more.

Then the lights went out and a spotlight came on focusing on a familiar pair in white clothes with red R's on their uniforms backed up by a dozen people in black clothed versions of the same outfits. It was Team Rocket.

Team Rocket was in the middle of their motto when a pie hit Jessie in the face, followed by an apple hitting James in the face.

"How dare you interrupt the motto?" Jessie snarled.

"We work hard on it!" James added.

"If you bothered to work as hard on meaningful pursuits as you did that motto you might be something more then a couple of petty crooks." Saber said coldly stepping through the crowd a pokeball in each hand. She then released Smaug her Charizard and Rexie the Tyrantrum.

"Oh crap baskets." Meowth muttered starting to see the hole in their scheme.

Back at the Ketchum Table the others were 'dealing' with their own conflict.

"Hand over your pokémon!" Grunt No. 20 demanded.

"No way." Misty snapped.

"Kookie."

Everyone looked down just in time to see Krabby jump up claws at the ready. The Grunt's scream made every male in the room winch.

Harper jumped up on the table and shouted to all the many gathered trainers, "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" She then lets out her Exploud who blasts several Rockets away with a sonic boom.

It was then the crowd realized that they outnumbered the Rockets twenty-to-one.

Soon the entire dining hall was filled with pokémon launching attacks and sending anyone wearing an R blasting off. Several trainers join in either physically mobbing the fewer Rockets or throwing food at them. Waste of perfectly good food, but alas in a world of elemental flinging monsters guns and swords were kind of lame in comparison and therefore absent or at least next to nonexistent after the Kanto saga.

"You know Jessie in hindsight maybe we shouldn't have invited the Ketchums to this trap." James told her as they flew out of the ship and across the sky.

"Not one of our brighter moments!" Meowth agreed.

"Shut up both of you." Jessie grumbled.

"Looks like were blasting off again!"

"That was literally the most fun I've had in the last month." Saber told her siblings then address the crowd, "we should all be proud of ourselves and our pokémon for how we stood up against those thieves. They'll certainly think twice before trying something like this again!"

Everyone cheered; the cheering was then cut off by the ship coming to a screeching halt that sent several people including Ash off their feet and flying into everything from other people to the punch bowl.

"Ow…" Ash groaned.

"What happen?" As if to answer that question the ships speaker system came to life.

"Attention everyone we have run aground on Seafoam Island. However, I must request you all stay calm and stay where you are till further notice. We understand if you wish to leave the ship, but please first give us time to assess the damage and be sure you can depart safety."

XXX

Sometime later the ok had been given and Ash, his sisters, and friends left the St. Anne and headed into Seafoam Village a small town that existed on the island.

"Ah, Seafoam my favorite home away from home. You can catch some of the best water types in Kanto here." Coral said stretching her arms out towards the clear blue sky and sun above them.

"Any Lapras?" Ash asked. "I've always wanted a Lapras."

"Likewise." Misty agreed.

"Never seen any myself, but I've heard a few fish tales here and there." Coral told them.

They walked through the village market checking out what was for sale and just making idle chitchat with each other till Ash brought something to their attention.

"Hey guys its summer right?" Ash asked.

"Yes why?" Brock asked.

"Then why is it snowing?" Ash points upwards towards the sky, which was now blocked out by cloud coverage and snow was indeed beginning to fall.

"Like I thought I felt a breeze." Coral remarked.

"…How did we literally _not_ notice that?" Saber asked.

"You guys were shopping and Brock was watching you shop." Ash said.

"You make me sound kind of creepy there." Brock noted.

"You said it not me."

"Let's get to the Pokémon Center before things get any worse." Zelda suggested.

"Good idea." Saber agreed and so they headed to the Seafoam Island Pokémon Center. They arrived at the center before it got too full, but with the weather taking a turn for the worst it wasn't long before it was starting to get a little crowded.

"How can there be a blizzard? Its summer!" Someone in the crowd said.

"Clearly your not from the Kanto Region." Someone else said.

Ash and his siblings shared a worried look.

"A blizzard on Seafoam Island like can only mean one thing…" Coral said her usually bubbly tone gone replaced by uncharacteristic grimness.

"…Articuno is home."

As if to punctuate this statement the doors to the center opened up allowing in another gust of icy wind as well as more refugees from the cold. Including one person in a cloak that grumbled as he shook off the snow.

"Sheesh, it was a good thing I had this or I'd of been a Popsicle."

"Must be pretty bad out there." Ash said.

"Eh, it could be worse," The person said before looking up at him, "Ashy-Boy? Didn't expect to see you here!"

"Gary?" Ash person pulled down his hood to reveal that it was he, the man, the legend himself: Gary Motherfucking Oak!

"Well, well, well if it isn't my old buddy Ash how you-." Gary paused when he saw who was with Ash. "S-s-saber!" Gary gasped out before collapsing blood squirting out of his nose at the sight of his longtime crush. The Ketchum kids just stood there awkwardly for a moment.

"If it wasn't obvious Gary has theis MASSIVE crush on my sister." Ash told Brock and Misty.

"Yeah he's got it bad." Brock agreed.

"He got blood on my shoes…" Misty complained.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom. You guys see what you can learn from Gary." Saber said before excusing herself.

"So Articuno is upset about something?"

"Near as we can figure. The elders can tell Articuno's mood by how the snow falls or some superstitious junk like that." Gary told them. "Though given the state of the weather I think they're onto something."

"We have to do something!" Ash said.

"What?" That came from everyone.

"Bro, approaching an angry Legendary is not a smart thing to do." Harper tells him.

"Well we can't just stay here. We'll freeze if this storm goes on any longer." He points out and if to prove his point the lights flickered in and out as a sign of loosing power. "We should go and find out what has Articuno so upset."

"And you're somehow qualified to do that?" Misty asks.

"And you are?" Ash shoots back.

"Hey I didn't say I was." Misty retorted, "but you're still a rookie and you think you can just go up to a legendary and ask it what's wrong?"

"Well I can 'speak' pokémon and that is what my family does at the shelter." Ash says.

"Even so Legendary are out of your league Ash. This is something for Saber or Dad not you. Your not good enough." Zelda told him.

"I am too." Ash insisted.

Seeing this wasn't going to end any time soon Harley then got an idea.

"Hey Gary can I borrow your cloak?" She asks. Gary shrugs and hands it to her. Harley then holds it out to Ash.

"Here if you think you can handle it, put this on and go out there."

"I will!" Ash said taking the cloak and heading outside with Pikachu in tow who shoots them all a worried look.

"Harley what were you thinking?" Brock demanded.

"This is crazy even for you!" Zelda agreed.

"Don't worry guys once Ash sees how bad the weather is. He'll be back, I give it five minutes tops."

 _~Ten minutes later~_

"He's still not back yet." Harper said annoyed.

"I forgot how stubborn he could be okay?" Harley defended.

"Whose still not back yet?" Saber asks appearing behind them, "and where's Ash?"

Gary thankfully had left for another part of the center at this point to avoid another nosebleed.

"Uh…funny story sis." Harley's mouth says while her eyes say 'oh crap'.

Several seconds later, Saber's hands had to be removed from Harley's throat.

"How could you be so stupid? Have you forgotten our vacation at the Lake of Rage?"

"What happen there?" Misty asked carefully. Anything involving **Gyarados** could not be good.

"A fishing competition went horribly wrong."

"…I won't ask." Misty said at last.

"Okay so Ash has been gone for over ten minutes now. How far do you think he could of gotten?"

"Depends if he took the cave system." Coral said. "There is a cave right outside town. Which isn't that far so if he got there he could be anywhere on the island by now."

"I swear if he's not hurt he's going to wish he was after I'm through with him." Saber said, "Come on let's go find our brother."

XXX

The weather conditions when Ash had left the center weren't that bad like Gary said. 'They could be worse' unfortunately that just met they were going to get worse later. It was mostly just a lot of cold air and snow being tossed around and the snow was still thin on the ground so Ash could walk without much difficulty. Which was why he managed to get as far as he did before finding himself up to his knees in snow.

"Dang it."

"(We should head back or find shelter)." Pikachu suggested.

"There's a cave over there." Ash said pointing to one a few yards away. Hopefully it'd be one that led deeper into the island. If he remembered right Articuno lived in the deepest parts of the island's caverns.

To their good fortune the entrance did lead deeper into the island. To their misfortune it only got colder the further they went. This was a place home to ice types as well as water. They like it cold.

"(Ash we should stop and rest)." Pikachu said the rodent was tired and cold his fur no longer able to keep him warm.

"Not until we find Articuno." Ash said insistent. Trying to use his aura sight to locate the Legendary, but not seeing him anywhere.

"(We're not going to find him if were frozen. Your sisters were right this is out of your league)." Pikachu points out. Ash gritted his teeth in anger even his own pokémon doubted him?

"No. It. Isn't." Ash said practically shouting the last word. He took a step forward only for the cave floor to suddenly collapse and the two to plummet down into the darkness.

When Ash woke up he felt warmth next to him and knew without looking it was Charmander. Opening his eyes Ash saw his Pokémon looking down at him.

"I'm an idiot." Ash said.

"(Well it's good to acknowledge your faults)." Squirtle tells him good-naturedly.

"Its just whenever I get around my sisters I-all of us really-get competitive with each other and I don't think things through very well."

"(Understatement)." Bulbasaur said.

"They're all so amazing and know what they want to be and are good at it and I'm well not. I want to be a Pokémon Trainer, to be a Master, but Saber is being spotted for an Elite Four position and the only way to top that is to become a champion, but I know how strong Saber is so I'd have to be stronger then that." Ash explained.

"(You want to have your own thing)." Pidgeotto said sympathetically, "(You're being too hard on yourself some just take longer to fly then others)."

Ash smiled both grateful and sad at those words, when you grew up in the shadow of prodigies a few kind words were all they were for him.

"(How strong is she?)" Charmander asked curious.

"You'd have to see it to believe it." Ash told him. He had finally moved to a sitting position and took in their surroundings.

"Any idea how to get out?"

"(No and you're too heavy for me to carry out the way we came I'm afraid)." Pidgeotto told him.

"Well I guess all we can do is wait and hope someone finds us. You guys should go back in your balls you'll be warmer in there." Ash held up the first ball only to have Pikachu knock it out of his hand.

"Hey!"

"(We are not leaving you out here to freeze)." Pikachu told him firmly.

"(A martyr complex is not how to stand out from your sisters)." Bulbasaur agreed.

"(You saved us so let us save you)." Squirtle smiled.

"(I can keep us all warm!)" Charmander piped in.

One by one each of Ash's Pokémon went over and hugged him. Touched Ash felt tears start going down his cheeks. Trying not to choke he said,

"I guess we'll all be cold together."

Krabby who had been silent up to this point then pulled away from the hug having made a 'risky but it'll save us if it works' decision.

"(I know how to dig, I'll go and get help)."

With that the crab dug a hole in the ground and disappeared from sight before they could stop him.

"Good luck."

XXX

Back on the surface Ash's sisters were trudging through the snow. The center had some snow clothes they could wear. Harley was trying to lighten the mood up with a few jokes.

"Looks like we have _snow way out_ of this situation, get it?" Harley joked while the others groaned. "Come on that was a classic! You know you loved it!"

"Man this is nuts. We're never going to find him out here while the weather is like this." Harper said.

"What are we going to do Saber?" Coral asked her sister only to see she was staring upwards at the clouds. "Saber?"

"I'm going to go cancel our snow day. You guys keep looking." Saber said before releasing Smaug. Before any of them could reply they were gone flying through the blizzard like a hot knife through butter.

"Well we know where Articuno is now…" Zelda said slowly before she and the others moved on.

"We're never going to find him. This is all my fault!" Harley said she and the others were wandering through the caves trying to find their brother only to find no sight of him. The guilt and creeping horror of finding her brother's frozen corpse was eating at her.

"This makes no sense where is he? His aura should be like a beacon." Zelda complained.

"Is because the blizzard Articuno is making is interfering with our senses. He's covering the island with his own aura and therefore is blanking all others out." Harley explained.

"How did Saber manage to pinpoint Articuno if he's spread his aura out though?" Zelda questioned.

"Because she's _Saber_." That was all that needed to be said really.

"Yeah, we really need to work more on our aura training." Harper said.

"We can't give up hope we just need a sign, a clue, something!" Coral told them.

It was then several tentacool followed by a large tentacruel were flung out of the nearby river. Thoroughly beaten. They stared at them then at Krabby as he emerged from the nearby river looking no worse for the wear.

"Like a boss." Zelda and Harper said.

"Krabby!" Coral said happily picking up her brother's water type and hugging him, the crab return the gesture. "Do you know where Ash is? Can you take us to him!"

Krabby nods and hops out of her arms and scurries down one of the cave tunnels with the sisters in pursuit.

XXX

Getting to Articuno wasn't very hard when you had a strong fire type that could melt through all the snow in your way and had wings powerful enough that it made the storm's wind as harmless as a breeze. However talking to Articuno was a bit trickier. Which is why it was convenient the bird was ranting aloud about the source of his/her/its anger.

"Seriously? All this because Moltres said your crest was ugly?" Saber snarled her anger being pushed to the max. Her tolerance for stupid actions to day having been spent thanks to her siblings.

Articuno fired an ice beam, which Smaug retaliated with a flamethrower canceling out the attacks and blowing both combatants backwards though they recovered quickly.

"You know what? I was going to be nice, ask what was wrong, see what I could do to help, but if all this is because you can't handle some mean words and throw a tantrum like my five-year-old sister then I'm done being nice." Saber said. She then held up her wrist showing off her mega ring, which began to glow. In response the mega stone on Smaug's necklace began to glow. In a brilliant flash the orange fire and flying type, was replaced with a black fire and dragon type with blue flames spewing from his mouth. She then held up her other wrist to reveal a Z-Ring and a Firium-Z and struck out her arm right hand stretched out while her left hand rested on her right arm initiating the attack.

"Mega Charizard X use Inferno Overdrive!"

Articuno had just enough time to give an 'oh crap this is gonna suck' expression before the attack hit.

The resulting flash and boom from the fire attack could be seen and heard from Vermillion.

"Now to find Ash." Saber said as Smaug flew back down.

XXX

It was getting colder. Even sharing their body heat wasn't enough in these frozen caverns.

It was getting harder to stay awake too. His sisters had been right this was out of his league. Even now he could hear their voices calling for him.

"Ash? Guys I found him! He's down here!"

"Bro don't fall asleep you have to stay with us!"

"I swear if you die I'll never forgive you!"

"Ash!"

It was suddenly warm.

XXX

When he awoke Ash found himself staring up at a white ceiling.

"What happen?" He looked around and saw his sisters, Misty, Brock, and Gary gathered around what he realized was a hospital room.

"What _happen_ is you nearly froze to death!" Saber told him anger and worry across her face and judging from the smeared mascara she had been crying. His other sisters had similar expressions.

"You put yourself and your Pokémon in danger."

"They're find by the way they're over at the Pokémon Center." Brock said knowing Ash would ask about that. His sisters however would not let their anger born of worry tirade be interrupted however and asked Ash the question that had been on their minds since this debacle began.

"We almost lost you Ash. What were you thinking?"

Ash was silent as he tried to find the right words to say.

"…I just wanted to show you that I could handle things. That I can do things on my own I guess." Ash told them finally.

"Well you sure show us." Zelda said sarcastically only to be elbowed by Harper into silence.

"You don't have to prove anything to us that. We'll love you no matter what!" Coral said and the others gave their own words of agreement to that.

"Promise me you won't do anything reckless like this again Ash." Saber asked him her eyes pleading. It wasn't often his oldest sister who had always been a pillar of strength standing above the rest of her siblings looked so vulnerable. He couldn't bring himself to say no.

"I promise."

This would be a promise he'd break many times over, but those stories will be for another day.


	6. A Lot of PokeBalls 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

 **A Lot of PokeBalls 2**

 **The Ketchum Conspiracy Blog**

 **Skepticism**

 **AFSA**

 **The Creation of Kanjoh**

XXXX

 **The Ketchum Conspiracy Blog**

 **Summary:** Max, stuck at home with nothing else to do learns something about Ash that leads him to starting a blog.

XXX

It had all started after he returned home from the Battle Frontier. With nothing much to do (schoolwork didn't count) Max was stuck at home while his sister got to travel around. That changed one day when he was on the Internet and found a sight dedicated to covering Legendary Pokémon sightings. Given his own experience with such things this piqued his interest quite a bit. With a click of the mouse he was soon searching through the site.

Some reports were just eyewitness accounts with no evidence to back them up. However, he soon came to an article about Shamouti, which had a picture of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres fighting. There were also pictures of Lugia and someone riding on his back. Max blinked and rubbed his eyes making sure he was seeing correctly.

"Is that Ash?" He was pretty sure it was he could even see the familiar sight of Pikachu on his shoulder. Oh and the hat. Can't forget the trademark hat.

Scrolling down to see if the article identified the rider when that ended up with no answers. He went to the comments section where someone named 'BirdSong' confirmed that yes the rider was Ash Ketchum.

AceTrainer003: Hey, I think he's the same guy who had his mother kidnapped by Entei. Here's a link. That him?

BirdSong: Yep, that's Ash all right …I feel bad for that Entei when Ash catches up to it. XD

One click later and Max was left staring at the screen stunned his mouth hanging slighting as he process the sight of Ash's Mom being carried off by Entei while Ash was chasing after them. He hadn't thought of it before when they encountered legendary pokémon other than how lucky they were to see things only one in a million probably got a chance to catch a glimpse of but now he was starting to wonder if this was just another Tuesday for Ash?

Needing more information and with no way to contact Ash or Brock at the moment he decided to call Misty she should be at the Cerulean Gym right? He picked up the phone next to the computer and dialed a number. He waited as the phone rang and to his luck the person who answered was whom he was hoping for.

"Hello Misty, its Max you know May's little brother? If you have a minute can I ask you a question?"

"Sure what?"

"How often did you see Legendary when traveling with Ash?"

"Well we saw Lugia and the Legendary Birds at Shamouti, as we traveled through Johto we saw Suicune, Celebi, Mewtwo, Entei, and we saw Latios and Latias at Alto Mare, oh and Ash says he saw Ho-oh on the first day of his journey…" Misty rattled off.

"That leaves Raikou then." Max concluded. "We saw Mew up in Rota and we saw all the other Hoenn legendary either in Hoenn or Kanto where we also met a Manaphy."

"Amazing isn't?" Misty asked.

"How? Most people could go their whole lives searching and never find some of these pokémon how does Ash just stumbled into them?" Max asked trying to wrap his mind around whatever this mystery was.

"Maybe we're all fictional characters and Ash is the main character of the show so he has to encounter the legendary for marketing purposes?"

"What?"

"I said I don't know maybe Ash is cursed to be some sort of legendary trouble magnet?"

"…Well whatever the reason it is still weird right?"

"Oh, absolutely. Personally I just pretend its just one big coincidence and you shouldn't look too far into it-whatever helps you sleep at night you know?"

"Yeah I hear ya. Well thanks for the help, bye." Max hangs up the phone.

Despite what Misty said Max could not let this mystery remain unresolved he would figure out the puzzle that was Ash Ketchum! Even if it was the last thing he had to do! Besides he needed something to do while he was stuck at home. Everyone needed a hobby right?

And so it went Max searched through the website seeking every scrap of news he could find looking for any images or reports that had even a glimpse or comment of a trainer with a Pikachu. When he got into contact with Brock he was able to add the many Sinnoh legendary and a shiny beast trio to the list.

Following Ash to farther away regions would prove more difficult, but he managed after finding some people on the forum who lived in those regions and getting their help in investigating legendary sightings-and if Ash was involved or not.

By the Kalos League Max had started his own blog with photos and eyewitness accounts of numerous events involving Ash coming to the aid of various legendary pokémon. It was called "Ketchum Watch".

Numerous posters would propose various conspiracy theories about Ash ranging from him being a secret agent for the government, a human chosen by the legendary to be their protector, an actual legendary pokémon in the disguise of a human like Mew, the list went on Max even laughed at a few that were clearly done by fangirls who described Ash as being this handsome mysterious and suave loner who would suddenly appear the moment danger struck and come to help those in need and then disappear as quickly as he arrived. Misty had fun correctly people about what Ash was really like even if none of them believed her.

However, while getting the perspective and thoughts of eyewitnesses and commenters-including champions such as Cynthia and Lance-was extremely helpful. That did not change the fact that the thoughts of the person at the center of this conspiracy were still unanswered. What did Ash think about his adventures? Did he think they were the result of a higher power or just a coincidence? Where was Ash now anyways?

XXX

 **Skepticism**

Summary: In which Ash has a chat with two well-meaning Plasma grunts about their team name and what he expects of them because of it. Or in which Ash shows a rare moment of genre savvy.

XXX

"Pokémon training is abuse!" shouted Joe, an average male Team Plasma grunt.

"If you really love your pokémon you'll let them go!" shouted Jane, an average female Team Plasma grunt.

"Excuse me?" The duo turned to see Ash step up to them Pikachu perched upon his shoulder as always.

"Look its not that I don't get what you're saying it's just… your group's name is 'Team Plasma' right?" Ash asked the two grunts. They were standing on a street corner where the Plasma grunts had gathered a crowd of onlookers with their protesting.

"Yes that's right."

"Well, look I've traveled a lot and every time I meet up with a group calling themselves Team 'Insert-Name-Here' they tend to be up to no good even when they claim they want to make the world a better place."

"What do you mean?" Joe asks.

"In Sinnoh there was Team Galactic their leader Cyrus wanted to use Dialga and Palkia to recreate the universe so it would be without spirit."

"Without spirit?" Jane repeats.

"No emotion to feel anything, no wisdom to solve problems, and no willpower to act. He believed he was making the world better this way."

"T-that's insane! We need those just to go about day to day activities!" Joe pointed out.

"Not to mention fear and disgust are part of our basic survival instincts what was he thinking?" Jane added.

"I honestly get the impression Cyrus wasn't hugged enough as child." Ash said frankly.

"Next is the Hoenn region, they had two teams who were also butting heads over their goals: Aqua and Magma. The first wanted to raise the ocean levels, while the other wanted to increase the land and were going to use Kyogre and Groudon to do it."

"…Wouldn't the first one flood the coastal plains and kill billions?" Someone in the crowd asked.

"And I'm pretty sure the second one would lead to an increase in volcanic eruptions: meaning lava and ash everywhere." Another commented.

"Yes, yes it would. Then of course there is Team Rocket…"

"What did they do?"

"Oh, them? They're your basic criminal organization: they steal people's Pokémon for profit."

"You know while that's terrible that's pretty mundane compared to the other three."

"I know its like every team I meet keeps trying to raise the stakes some how. Well except for you guys (so far) though that Ghetsis guy sort of looks like an evil advisor from a movie like _Galaxy Battles_. Now, I don't want to judge people by how they dress I'm just saying..."

"No, no, it's alright to be suspicious given what you've experienced up till now."

"Um, well it was nice speaking with you. Enjoy your tour of Unova."

"Thank you I will." Ash waves goodbye to the two grunts and walks down the road to the Pokémon Center unknowing that he had just planted the seeds of dissent that would assist in the downfall of _another_ megalomaniac.

XXX

 **AFSA (Abused Fire Starters Anonymous)**

Summary: After catching Tepig Ash makes a phone call deciding to take a more proactive response to a worrisome trend he's now dealing with for the 3-½ times.

XXX

"Alright Tepig listen, I'm sending you to meet some friends of mine. They were abandoned like you by their previous trainers and I think talking with them would do you a load of good okay?"

That was the last thing Tepig heard from his new trainer before he found himself sent around the world and finding himself in a laboratory he didn't recognize. A cream and dark blue furred stoat greeted him.

"Hi, you Tepig?"

"Uh, yes." The little pig said timidly.

"I'm Quilava, I'm Ash's fire type from the Johto region. Come one and I'll introduce you to our heavy hitters." Quilava said motioning Tepig to follow him. The two headed outside where Tepig found himself staring upwards at a huge orange dragon with the tip of his tail on fire, next to him while shorter though no less intimidating for the little pig was a monkey with a crown of flames adorned upon his head.

"This is Charizard and Infernape, they're Ash's fire types from Kanto and Sinnoh." Quilava introduced.

"And like you we're also the fire starters of our respective regions." Infernape added.

"And like you we've all had to deal with bad trainers." Charizard finished.

"I was never actually caught by the guy though, but given his attitude I doubt he'd have the patience for me to develop my flames like Ash did. I'd give it a week before I went the same way as you guys." Quilava said. Tepig stared at him while the other two nodded sympathetically.

"Mind if I go next?" Charizard asked Infernape.

"Well seeing as you were 'first' go ahead." Infernape mock bowed to him. Charizard merely gave an amused huff.

"My story is back when I was Charmander I was left behind by my trainer after one too many defeats, the thing is he told me he'd come back for me, but he never did. I sat there on that rock waiting for him to come get me. Even as it began to rain I stayed hoping Damien would return believing he'd be there any second even when the spearow started attacking, even as my tail flame grew weaker and weaker…." Charizard's closed his eyes momentarily lost in the memory. Infernape put a comforting hand on his side while Quilava patted his knee. After a minute Charizard regained his composure.

"Anyways, Ash, Misty, and Brock rescued me, I rescued Pikachu from Team Rocket, and then I learned what Damien really thought of me." Charizard paused here trying to find the right words for the next part.

"W-what did you do?" Tepig asked despite himself.

"I gave him a flamethrower to the face and sent that weakling running home crying for his Mommy." Charizard said with utter satisfaction in his voice. He and Infernape then fist bumped.

"Well I guess it's my turn." Infernape said.

"My trainer had very high standards if you didn't meet those standards he'd drop you like a sack of potatoes without a word and by high standards I mean 'how dare you lose to the champion's strongest pokémon even though you're only a basic stage pokémon' kind of standards"

"Wait, what?" Tepig said in disbelief.

"Paul was someone who only valued strength and didn't care for much else. He wasn't one to 'coddle' his pokémon." Infernape said making quotes with his hands.

"He wasn't what you'd call a people person either."

"Eventually he dropped me back when I was Chimchar and Ash took me in and well you can see the results for yourself." Infernape said before he and Charizard shot two massive flamethrowers into the sky.

"Show offs." Quilava said shaking his head though his bemused tone indicated he wasn't mad. He then addressed Tepig,

"So Tepig what is your story?"

"My story?" Tepig echoed.

"Yeah how did you end up with Ash?" Quilava said.

"You don't have to rush, you can take your time." Infernape added.

"I lost to a deerling, a grass type, after that my trainer decided I was too weak and left me tied to a post. Eventually I got free, but the rope ended up tied around my mouth making it impossible for me to eat." Tepig said sniffing sadly. "If Ash hadn't found me I would have starved."

"Man that's rough." Charizard said while Infernape patted Tepig gently on his back while the little pig cried. They gave Tepig a few minutes to calm down.

"So Ash never met your old trainer?" Quilava inquired.

"No, why?" Tepig asked.

"Well there's a first." Quilvava muttered.

"I'll bet you lunch Ash runs into this guy." Infernape offered Charizard who laughed.

"What?" Tepig says.

"I don't take sucker bets." Charizard told him before addressing Tepig.

"Listen Tepig? You're old trainer? He's an idiot for tossing you way and while you may not believe it right now Ash will make you stronger then that creep could ever have thought."

"He doesn't need to believe it, the proof is right in front of him! Heck, Torkoal might not be a fire starter, but he held his own against Registeel, a _legendary_." Infernape said.

"And I've beaten legendary." Charizard said.

"Well there you go." Infernape said in a matter of fact tone.

"The point being here is: Some trainers give up on their pokémon, Ash doesn't." Quilava finished.

XXX

 **The Creation of Kanjoh**

Summary: A myth from Kanto and Johto.

Note: The name Kanjoh comes from the same naming conventions as the Sinjoh Ruins.

XXX

A long time ago, the beasts of and land, sea, and sky go into a great quarrel with the lords of time and space. Their battle would bring much devastation and hardship for those humans and pokémon caught in the middle.

Eventually the great birds gathered together to discuss what they should do and how could to put a stop to the fighting: the sky guardian, the sea guardian, and the three who herald the weather. After much debate they decided they would speak to each lord and beast and ask them to abandoned their grudges for the sake of everyone else.

When they came before the beast of the land and made their request to him. The beast of the land was insulted by their request and grew angry in response. The birds were forced to scatter as the beast of the land broke into such a rage that a massive landmass arose out of the sea as a result.

Deciding enough was enough the guardians of the seas and skies flew to the home of first one and told him of all that had transpired. The first one went to see for himself and upon seeing the destruction his children has caused would degree that the new landmass that had been created was now a line the beasts and lords would not cross and they would stay within their respective regions. The new landmass was so large that the first one decided it would be best to split it in two. He would give the western half to the guardians of the skies and seas while giving the eastern half to the three who herald the weather.

This is why Kanto and Johto do not have any 'great' legendary to call their own, but the people do not mind for they revere the birds especially the guardians of the skies and seas for bringing peace back to the land.

XXXX


End file.
